Monster
by heyits.reagan
Summary: Star and Macro have spent the last six months following the Battle for Mewni in their respective dimensions. Marco is just learning how to live a Star-free life. Star is preparing to be queen. They don't plan on meeting again, but everything changes when a new threat arises. Can they put aside their differences in time to defeat this new evil, or is this the end as we know it?
1. Star Returns to Earth

The house was silent—much quieter than she remembered.

A pack of puppies barreled toward her, barking and shooting lasers happily. They knocked Star to the ground with an _oof_. Her bag bounced across the floor and its contents spilled out.

Star shoved a puppy out of her face. "Boy, you guys have gotten big!" she laughed. One dog leapt on her stomach and she gasped, then groaned. "Okay, get off. You just squished all of my organs."

A shrill whistle cut through the air. The puppies sat around Star in unison, their tongues hanging out as they pant. Star leaned against her elbows and gazed up at the new company.

"If you guys are barking at nothing again, I swear-" Jackie stopped in the doorway. The kitchen light behind her only allowed Star to see their silhouette, but she knew that voice anywhere.

"What happened? Did you finally see the ghost?" he joked. That voice… It's not as nasally. It's deeper, older. That's not the Marco she talked to six months ago.

"Not a ghost," Jackie answered. As Star climbed to her feet, a light flipped on. She and Jackie stared at each other a moment, looking over the changes.

Jackie had grown an inch or two and her hair just barely passed her shoulders. There were still traces of blue at the tips that faded into the blonde. She had a diamond in the side of her nose that glistened in the light, but she looked the same. Her face, her clothes, it was exactly how Star remembered.

Star's hair fell just above her shoulders. She grew out her bangs until they blended with the rest of her hair. Her horns were gone; Jackie noticed that first. Star wore a long dark blue gown with sequenced beans across the neckline and down the torso. The bottom of her dress was ripped into shreds and splattered with mud. Star's hair was wet and stuck to her cheeks. Jackie knew she'd been through a lot already.

Marco stepped into the doorway then, wondering what was going on. Star's heart skipped a beat. He was taller now, fitter. He wore a red tank top that showed off his arms, which had filled out with muscles. His hair and face looked the same, but Star could see a bit of stubble across his jawline.

"Star," he whispered and her stomach flipped; her named sounded almost foreign in his voice.

Jackie looked between the two anxiously, unsure of what to do.

"Hi," Star squeaked. She offered the best smile she could, but her cheeks hurt.

"Wha-What are you doing here?" he stuttered. He blinked several times to make sure she was real—he'd had this dream one too many times.

Star chewed on her lip. "It's a long story, but I was forced to evacuate. I'm sorry, I know what I said before, but-"

"No, no," Marco interrupted. "It's okay. You know you're always welcome here."

Jackie looked at her bare wrist. "Wow, it's getting late, I better get going." She stepped back into the kitchen, grabbed her bag off the stool, and headed for the door with Marco hot on her heels.

"You don't have to leave, Jackie," he said, opening the door for her. "It's just Star."

"Just Star," she repeated with a snort. "No biggie, just your best friend who admitted to having a crush on you and probably still has a crush on you."

Star glanced at the couple and strained her ears. They spoke too softly to be heard. With a sigh, she walked into the kitchen.

"Jackie," Marco pleaded. Jackie sighed.

"Marco, it's not a big deal. Go talk to her; she looks like she's been through a lot." She kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight," Marco sighed, watching her wave before disappearing down the street.

Star had already found a box of cookies when Marco returned to the kitchen. She looked up and smiled with her mouth full of cookies. Marco chuckled.

"Gross, Star. I figured you would've learned some manners in six months."

Star swallowed. "I did. My mom forced me to learn princess-y things. It was just as boring as I imagined."

Marco leaned against the counter across from her. "Why didn't you come back with me, then?"

Her face fell and she looked at her hands. "There was no reason for me to be here anymore."

"You mean besides summer and school and all your friends? Earth isn't the asme without you, Star."

"Earth is exactly how it's supposed to be."

Marco pursed his lips; he didn't want another fight between them. "So, what are you doing here?"

She was grateful for a subject change, "A sickness broke out all over the kingdom and my parents wanted me out of reach."

"Are they okay?"

"I don't think so," she answered quietly.

"What happened to your dress, then? Were you attacked?"

"No," Star blushed. "I went for a walk this morning in the woods and may or may not have fallen."

Marco snorted. "There's the Star I remember. You can have the guest bedroom, of course. You wouldn't believe how much I missed your room."

Star stared at him, eyes wide. He stared back and slowly realized what he just said. "I-I just mean that I missed you and-and my house looks weird without an extra tower sticking out the side of it."

She giggled. "There's the Marco _I_ remember." She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "I think I'm going to head to bed; Long day and all, you know."

"Right, yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

She slid off her stool and closed the cookies back up. Marco couldn't help but watch her. He just couldn't believe she was really back, eating his food in his house again. It all seemed like a dream he was going to wake from again.

"Hey, Star?" he said as she began to leave. She looked back at him over her shoulder. Marco smiled. "I'm really glad you're back."

She returned the smile. "Me too. Goodnight, Marco."

"Goodnight."

And although he's not sure he'd actually admit it to anyone, that was the best sleep he'd had in six months.

•••••

Meanwhile, somebody lurked through the dimensions. They moved like a shadow, silent and as though they weren't even there. There was a bottle filled to the brim with a glowing pink liquid tucked under their armpit. They stood on a rock that overlooked the undersea kingdom below. City lights shimmered under the water's surface. The mysterious person tipped the glowing liquid onto their hand and held it over the water. Pink seeped through the spaces between their fingers as they whispered an ancient spell that hadn't been spoken in centuries. They dropped the gunk into the water and smiled at the pink grew into something larger. It sunk beneath the surface and would soon contaminate the city below.

By dawn, half of the kingdom will be infected.

By nightfall, the Waterfolk will be defenseless.

* * *

I'm so hyped for this. Honestly, I am :D :D

This isn't a love story. Not really. I mean this will eventually end in Starco, but this story isn't centered around love and romance. I'm gonna try and make it an even balance of Starco, Tomstar (am I the only one who likes that ship?), Jarco, and a whole bunch of Princess Star the Bad-A.

Anyways, remember to leave a review and tell me what you think! Thanks in advance and I hope you have a great day :)


	2. Reuniting the Heirs of Mewni

Okay, so these updates will probably be slow. I'm very sorry about that! I'm really trying my best to do all my homework this year and college classes are already proving to be harder than I expected. I'll try to get these up as soon as possible! :): Thanks in advance for the patience!

* * *

"You know, you didn't have to come today," Marco reminded. The pair walked down the street early the next morning. Star breamed an every step was accompanied with a bounce.

"You kidding?" she asked. "I've missed school!" She spun on her heel and walked backward. "Is there anybody new? How much as everyone changed? What'd I miss? You have to fill me in, Marco."

He snickered. "Calm down, Star. No, there's nobody new. Some have changed a little, some not at all. Brittany's a lesbian."

"No way!" Star gasped. "… What's a lesbian?"

"Means she likes girls."

"No. Way."

" _Way_."

"OMG. Is she still mean?"

"The meanest."

Star groaned and he laughed. They turned the corner and the school peeked over the hill. Star's heart fluttered eagerly. She missed school a lot. Obviously, she missed her friends too, but she missed just even the idea of school. There was nothing even remotely close to a school on Mewni. She missed learning new things about the still unfamiliar dimension and she missed competing with Marco to get the highest score.

Janna sat on the stairs next to Jackie, pushing a skateboard back and forth with her foot. Janna sported a messy pixie cut and a black word across her neck. Other than that, she looked like the same girl Star remembered.

"Janna Banana!" Star cried, racing toward the steps. The girls looked up in surprise.

"Star!" Janna shouted, leaping over her skateboard and meeting the blonde halfway. Jackie offered a smile at the two and stepped around them to join Marco.

"She looks better," Jackie commented as Marco slid an arm around her waist.

"Yeah," Marco agreed, "a shower and a change of clothes can do wonders." The warning bell rang and everyone lingering outside headed for the doors. Janna and Star walked a few feet ahead, eagerly catching up. Jackie intertwined her fingers with Marco's and swung their hands as they walked.

"Did she say what was going on?" Jackie asked.

Marco nodded. "Some kind of sickness broke out and her parents didn't want her near it."  
"A sickness?" Jackie frowned. "I didn't know that kind of thing happened on Mewni."

Marco shrugged. "I guess it just doesn't happen often." The couple exchanged suspicious looks before splitting to head to their lockers.

•••••

Star walked into Mr. Candle's office with her schedule in hand. She sat in a seat and dropped her bag beside her. Mr. Candle was in the corner, talking on an Earth cellphone. Star cocked an eyebrow skeptically.

"I thought you left?" she asked when he ended the call.

Mr. Candle leaned over the back of his chair. "I did, but I was reassigned here."

"Reassigned? Don't you work for Tom?" Star rolled her eyes. She hadn't been back a day and already Tom was sending people to spy on her?

"I work for Tom's parents. They received a call from her mother about your return to Earth."

"Why would she tell Tom's parents about that?"

Mr. Candle shrugged. "Perhaps because of the virus. Princess Pony Head has been relocated and Prince Tom is in the process of the same."  
Star straightened. "If the virus is only in my kingdom, why are they getting sent away?" Mr. Candle pulled out his chair and sat across from her.

"Maybe it's just a precaution." Mr. Candle glanced at the ticking cat at the corner of his desk. Its eyes stared at Star, frozen in a curious glare. Star felt uncomfortable.

"Well if that's all you need me for, I'll get going!" Star cried, jumping to her feet and grabbing her bag. Mr. Candle chewed on his lip, glancing at the cat that innocently ticked back and forth. He tapped his fingers against his desk.

"Star," he called, stopping her in the doorway. She looked over her shoulder, her blue eyes seemingly unimpressed. He took a deep breath, melting under the harsh cat's glare.

"Be careful around here, Star. You aren't as safe here as you once were." He rubbed his neck fearfully; _I'm so dead_.

Star twisted the doorknob absentmindedly. If she was uncomfortable before, she was fraught now. She didn't like the way he eyed that cat. Was someone watching them? Listening to their conversation?

"Uh… Okay," Star nodded. "Yeah. Whatever gets me out of her faster." She mumbled the last bit to herself and stepped out of the room. She raced into the hallway as quick as she could.

The school was silent, everybody in class. Star glanced at her schedule. 1st period: Math; 2nd period: English. She headed for her locker. Her head began to hurt as she tried to make sense of what just happened.

 _Fact_ : Mr. Candle knows more than he's letting on.

 _Theory_ : There's more to this virus than she was told.

Star blinked and stared into her empty locker. _Why did I come here if I don't have any books?_ She didn't know; maybe falling back into routine was just that easy.

Until her phone was in her hand, she didn't realize what she was doing.

"Call Pony Head," she ordered, slamming her locker shut. She stared at the screen and watched her best friend's face flash innocently. After a moment, the call failed.

 _She's still at Wayward_ , Star reminded. _The service is bad out there._

She chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Call Tom."

 _He always answers my calls_ , she thought, staring at the screen. _Even if I'm rude to him every time, he always-_

Call failed.

The bell rang and she jumped. The hall swarmed with students who brushed past her without a glance. Star stared at her phone, stomach turning.

Something was seriously wrong about all of this.

"Star!"

Marco grabbed her arm gently. He felt her flinch in his grasp and he instantly pulled away. "Star?" He tilted her chin up with his finger and stared into her distant blue eyes. "Star, what's wrong?"

She blinked. Once, twice, as though bringing back her old self. Star smiled, laughed, and playfully shoved him away. "Nothing's wrong, Marco! Why so serious?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "You looked like you'd seen a ghost."

"Nah, was just daydreaming again. You know how I love doing that."

Marco laughed. "Right, yeah. Well, c'mon! Hope you missed Spanish as much as you missed the rest of your classes!"

Star let him drag her along to the next class, her mind now elsewhere. The loud chatter in the halls were numb to her as she redialed the numbers again. With every failed call, she grew more and more anxious. There was a knot in the pit of her stomach and she wanted to puke.

Marco watched her from across the class. She wasn't okay, he didn't care what she said. She hid her phone behind the person in front of her and stared at it. The more stared, the more desperate she looked. What was she doing? Was she trying to contact someone? Does it have to do with why she's back in the first place? He wanted nothing more than to stomp over and demand she tell him what was going on.

He frowned. Why does he care what she thought? _She_ sent _him_ away. She forced him to return home when he knew she needed him the most. He begged, he pleaded, he fought with everything in him for her to change her mind, but nothing worked.

" _If you come back here Marco, my guards will have no choice but to attack. I mean it, stay away_."

Marco grit his teeth, her voice pounding in his ears. He was torn for weeks after that, at a constant battle between forgiving and forgetting her. He forced himself to move on, do other things that would distract him from her. It was terrible, then bearable and eventually, his new normal.

 _She'll tell me when she's ready_ , he told himself, glancing at her once more, _and if she never tells me… Well, I guess that's not my problem._

•••••

Tom crossed his arms over his chest and glared. "What are you doing here? I'm busy." He turned back to his drawers and scooped an armful of shirts against his chest.

Pony Head rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I'm not thrilled about it either. I'm supposed to be at Wayward enjoying myself. Instead, I'm here 'cause I need your help."

Tom stuffed the clothing in his suitcase. "That's a first."

Pony Head took in the bags spread out across the room. "Look, I'm guessing you're being relocated or whatever. My dad tried to get me to do the same. He said Star was going to the same place I was."

Tom raised an eyebrow and turned to her. "My parents haven't heard anything from the Butterfly kingdom."

"Figures. I tried calling Star's mirror, but no answer. Their castle is on lockdown, too. I was wondering if you've talked to her at all."

He reached for his phone buried beneath his comforter. "Since when does Star ever talk to me?" He rolled his eyes and glanced at the screen, his heart stopping. "She's called me six times." He looked back at Pony Head, eyes wide. "Star _never_ calls me."

"So… I was right. Something weird's going on here."

"Thomas!" his father called through the door. The teens exchanged fearful stares before Tom ushered her into his closet.

"Just a second!" Tom replied, shutting the door behind her.

"Pushy," she mumbled. He rolled his eyes and stumbled back to open the door. His father, a terrifying demon that towered over his son with glowing red eyes and sharp teeth, stood in the hallway. The man looked solemn and tired. Tom frowned.

"Dad?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

"I've just received terrible news. Apparently, whatever virus that infected the Butterfly kingdom has now completely taken Waterfolk kingdom and is now working its way to the Pigeon kingdom."

Tom took a deep breath. "What about the rulers? Are they okay?"

"Just like King and Queen Butterfly, the Waterfolk leaders are only in a deep sleep. The Pigeon leaders, however, were not so lucky. I'm afraid by morning, most if not all will be dead."

"Dad, do you have any idea what's going on?" There was a hint of desperation in his tone that either his dad didn't catch, or didn't notice.

The man sighed. "I wish I did, son. This is all the more reason to get you to safety, though. If the virus gets to us, we need to know you can carry on our legacy."

Tom nodded slowly. "I'm almost finished packing."

"Good. I'll send someone up to retrieve your things."

When he was alone again, Pony Head burst out of the closet. "We have to find Star."

For the first time in forever, Tom agreed with Pony Head and dug his scissors out of his bag. He tore a portal through the air and the vortex swirled with blues and whites that gleamed and hummed. Pony Head flew through without a second thought, but Tom glanced around his room sadly. He had a feeling he wouldn't be seeing it for a long time.

With a deep breath, he stepped through the portal…

… And right into the Diaz's living room.

Marco laid on the couch and stared at them, eyes wide. Jackie straddled him, face inches away from his and wearing only a pair of shorts matched with a black lace bra.

Everything was silent. Pony Head seemed unfazed. Tom, ever the gentleman, was covering his eyes. Jackie scrambled off of Marco and frantically pulled her shirt back on. Marco lay frozen, face pale and heart pounding.

"Where's Star?" Pony Head demanded.

Marco's throat felt dry. "S-She's, uh, she's…"

"She's out with Janna," Jackie answered, grabbing Marco's hand reassuringly. "What's going on?"

The Mewmans let out of breath they didn't realize they were holding. "Nothing," Pony Head lied, "just dropping by. I see you two are doing great. We'll just be upstairs waiting for her." She nudged the demon with her horn. He hissed when the point of the horn jabbed his side and headed for the stairs.

Pony Head glanced at the young couple on the couch. "And remember, there's just a floor between us. I don't wanna hear nothin' nasty down here."

And with that, a door slammed upstairs and Marco's red face flushed ten shades darker.


	3. Getting Down to Business

Star returned around nine to Marco lounging on the couch. She listened carefully, expecting Jackie to join him at any moment. Marco glanced at her and turned the TV down.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," she said, kicking her shoes off. "What's up?"

"Just hanging out. You're home late."

"Yeah," she laughed, "Janna and I were catching up."

Marco pursed his lips. He wanted to question her and demand to know why Pony Head and Tom were upstairs and needing to talk. His curiosity grew with every second and he had to bite back the urge to follow her when she went upstairs.

"Pony Head and Tom are upstairs," he said quickly before he could squeeze in anything else. Star's eyes widened. She sucked in a breath of air and her lips twitched into a smile. If he wasn't mistaken, she almost looked _relieved_.

Star shot up the stairs without another word, leaving Marco to his own thoughts. He sat up quickly and watched her disappear in a blur. His heart wanted to chase her down because everything he'd missed in the past six months were all gathered in that room: the adventure, the Mewmans (admittedly yes, he did partially miss Pony Head and Tom), the Mewman princess. He and Star were supposed to be a team, but she just left him in the dust.

 _Just like she left you on Earth_ , he reminded himself. He had to remind himself constantly, it seemed. _She left you,_ _ **she left you**_.

Marco stormed into the kitchen, ready to drown his sorrows in salsa and tortilla chips.

•••••

"B-Fly!" Pony Head cried when Star threw the door open. "I _knew_ you weren't at a safe house!" Star pulled her into a tight hug, her shoulders shaking as she sighed with relief.

"I thought something happened to you guys," Star breathed. She released Pony Head and moved on to Tom. Without thinking, she hugged him. Tom stood frozen for a moment before he returned the gesture. He tried to mask his glee and hoped she couldn't hear his heart pounding in his chest.

"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling away but gripping her shoulders firmly.

"Um." Star blinked and stepped out of his embrace, realizing how close they were. "Yeah. I heard you guys were being evacuated because of the virus, but that doesn't make sense because isn't it only in my kingdom? So I got worried and-"

"Star," Tom interrupted. He and Pony Head exchanged looks, their faces unreadable.

"It's spreading, Star," Pony Head explained and Star shuddered. Pony Head only used Star's name when she was serious (which was _really_ rare). "The Waterfolk kingdom is in a dead sleep and the Pigeon kingdom is just, well…"

Star shook her head slowly. "That's impossible. It took a week for the virus to reach my castle. It couldn't have moved that quickly. And no one has any leads on his this started?"

Tom shrugged. "Obviously, people are accusing the monsters."

"Toffee?" Pony Head suggested.

Star shook her head. "Toffee is dead." Her friends stared at her.

"When did _that_ happen?" Tom demanded.

"Like, six months ago. It's a long story." Star rubbed her wrists. There were dark lines across her skin that were rough and still raw. Tom noticed the scars and how Star gingerly ran her fingers over them, but didn't mention it. "Are your kingdoms infected, too?"

"I dunno," Pony Head rolled her eyes. "Dad wouldn't stay on the line long enough for me to see anything. He just told me to stay at Wayward and not come back for a while which I was obviously fine with."

"The Underworld is safe," Tom stated, "but who knows how long that'll last."

Star groaned. "I just got _done_ saving Mewni."

"Yeah, so since we're staying here and all, I demand the story of how Toffee died," Pony Head said, raising an eyebrow.  
"Wait, huh? You guys can't stay here! I mean, Pony Head probably can, but Mr. and Mrs. Diaz aren't going to let me live with my ex-boyfriend."

"What's the big deal?" Pony Head asked. "You've been living with Marco this whole time."

"That-That's different!" Star's cheeks flushed.

Tom gazed at the three layers of her room thoughtfully. "I see three floors and three of us. We can't split up in case someone really is behind this freak virus, so it'd be best to stick together."

Star huffed, "Fine, whatever, but you're at the top."

Tom couldn't help but smirk. "I've always been top, Starship."

"Shut up."

Pony Head scrunched her nose. "Ugh, being infected would be less gross than this exchange." Tom snickered and laughed. Star headed to the top floor to change the design and hide the blush creeping on her face.

•••••

Mr. and Mrs. Diaz were fine about the new company. The teens decided to keep Star and Tom's history in the dark to ensure he and Pony Head could stay. Marco tried to bring it up and stop this potential disaster, but Star kicked his shin and forced him to be quiet.

"This is insane," Marco groaned when his parents were gone. "I have three royal teenagers from another dimension living with me."

"Ooh, does this mean you're going to school with us?" Star asked eagerly. She leaned over the counter across the Marco and rested her chin in her hand. She fought to stay away, but her eyes kept drooping closed.

"I don't want to. School sounds boring," Tom yawned.

"Well that stinks, 'cause there's no way I'm letting either of you stay here alone during the day," Marco declared. "We'd come home one day to half of the house on fire and the other half being sucked into a black hole."

"You worry too much, Earth Turd," Pony Head teased. "We're totally responsible."

"Yeah sure, whatever," Marco rolled his eyes. "Just be ready by eight."

"AM?" Pony Head cried.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it," Star reassured her. Pony Head glared at her and mumbled under her breath. Star sighed dramatically, "Well, it's been a long day. I think it's time for bed."

"You guys can go," Pony Head said, hovering by the cabinets, "but I'm starving."

"Oh, I think we should _all_ go to bed," Star argued. Tom nodded, catching her tone.

"Right, night guys." Marco gave him a short nod and the demon exited the room. Pony Head frowned at the blonde, then it clicked.

"Oh. OH. Right, yeah, bedtime." She nodded and floated out of the room. Marco watched them leave then his eyes flickered to Star.

"Star," he called, stopping her in her tracks. She peeked at him over he shoulder. Marco opened and closed his mouth absently, trying to scramble together something to say. Honestly, he didn't have anything besides _I feel left out what are you doing are you okay?_ but he couldn't say that (he might've gone a little crazy when she left, but he's not _that_ pathetic).

Star seemed to understand, though. "I'll tell you soon, don't worry."

 _Why can't you tell me now?_ he whined.

"Just," he sighed, "be careful."

She nodded. "Goodnight, Marco."

"Goodnight…"

•••••

"So, what's the plan?" Pony Head demanded when Star returned.

"First thing's first: We save our parents."

Tom blinked. " _What_?"

"We can't just leave them there to get attacked," she explained, pulling her hair out of the ponytail.

"But what if we try to save them and get infected, too?" he asked. "If we're down, who's going to save them?"

Star poked the inside of her cheek with her tongue. "You're right… I didn't think of that." She walked to her dresser and laid the ponytail holder on the counter. "I still think we should go to my kingdom, though."

"Star-" Tom tried.

"Just to see what we're up against! We won't stay too long and we can wear masks and-"

"It's _dangerous_."

Star stopped. She met his gaze in the mirror, then spun around to face them. They stared back, Tom's eyes narrowed and Pony Head curious.

"Everything's _dangerous_ , Tom, but this is our home. We're going to take our parents' places one day. What kind of ruler won't fight for their kingdom?"

Tom tilted his head. "Since when are you so accepting of being queen?"

"Since I came so close to losing everything."

A silence fell over the trio. It was thick and heavy and yet rang so loudly in Star's ears. She ended it with a stern, "I'm going home tomorrow after school, with or without you guys. Now, get out of my room. I'm exhausted."

Star watched her friends hover to their respective floors, flipped her lights out, and flopped onto her bed. She grabbed her wand off her bedside table and held it in front of her face. The faint pink glow was just bright enough to light up her face. Star ran her fingers over the wings and down the body. It looked so much like her old one, the one before the corruption. Except now there were a pair of little horns at the top, much like her own headband.

Maybe it was because she wasn't used to hearing anybody else in her room at night besides her or that she was about to embark on another crazy mission to save Mewni, but something didn't feel right that night. There was a presence close by that made her skin crawl. She turned on her side and clutched her wand close.

Try as she might though, she hardly got any sleep that night.


	4. The Sickness

"Why didn't you want to study at your place?" Jackie asked as she and Marco walked home.

"My place is… Crazy right now. Star is keeping secrets and there's a bunch more people in my house at the moment. The more time I can spend away from there, the better."

Jackie chewed on her lip. "What's going on between you and Star?"

Marco dragged his hands down his face. "She's been shutting me out for months. After the battle against Toffee, she ordered me to go home and never return. No reason, no apology, and hardly a goodbye."

"She had to have had a good reason."

"You really believe that?"

Jackie shrugged. "She wouldn't just cut you out like that just because."

"She's different, Jackie. Have you noticed that? She doesn't joke around like she used to. She doesn't talk to anybody but Janna at school. I'm worried about her, but I wish I wasn't because she obviously hasn't cared about me for the past few months."

"You never really told me what happened in Mewni."

They stopped at a corner and waited for the light to turn. Marco stared at his shoes, dark memories flashing through his head.

"It was bad, Jackie." He took a ragged breath. "Every bit of it was terrifying and Toffee came back to life and then Star died and-" he choked on his words. Jackie stepped in front of him and grabbed his shoulders.

"Babe, it's okay," she said softly. "You don't have to say anything else, it's okay."

Marco sniffed and wiped his wet eyes. "I just don't understand why she pushed me away."

Jackie didn't understand, either. She still felt hostile toward Star for leaving like that. Yeah, she might've been trying to cope with what happened, but so was he. Marco lost his best friend twice in two days, each with the uncertainty of ever seeing her again. That was a selfish move on Star's part.

She grabbed Marco's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. He smiled, grateful she was there and by his side. He kissed her cheek and they continued on, talking about anything they could to forget about Star.

•••••

Tom and Pony Head met Star on a hill overlooking Butterfly castle. The sky was blue and the grass was green—totally not what Star had been expecting.

"Where's the zombie land and gross sick people?" she asked, looking around with wide eyes. She had just arrived from the grocery store with an old duffel bag over her shoulder.

"Maybe closer to the kingdom," Tom suggested with a shrug. "Fill me in when you get back, 'cause I'm not going."  
"Oh, c'mon. I got us masks." Start dropped the bag to the ground between them. "You better use them, too. They're super expensive."

"How'd you pay for them?" Pony Head asked. Star laughed nervously and rubbed her arms. Tom raised an eyebrow, unamused.

"You stole them, didn't you?"

"It was for a good cause! They're gas masks and can totally protect us from sickness."

"I still think this is a bad idea," Tom reminded uneasily. Still, he grabbed a mask and slipped it over his head. The nose of it was heavy and his breathing echoed.

"It'll be easy," Star promised as she helped Pony Head. "We'll get in and get out." She slipped her mask over her head and nodded at her friends.

"Let's go."

•••••

The lower part of the Butterfly kingdom buzzed with insects and lack of Mewman activity. The village was a lonely settlement abandoned in a hurry. Goats and sheep trotted weakly across the path, their skin hanging against their bodies. Star shuddered despite the fact that she was sweating.

Star led them through the village and their nerves rose with each level they climbed. The higher they went, the more bone chilling things got. Food carts were deserted in the streets. Windows were boarded up on houses. A light fog rolled at their feet.

"This is scary," Pony Head admitted.

"We're almost there," Star promised.

Her kingdom had never been this lifeless. Growing up, she would sneak out of the castle to wonder around the village. Star loved playing ball with the other kids every afternoon. Every day was another new friend, another game, another adventure that she never would've had if she'd stayed in the castle.

This village was a large part of her childhood and in just a few days, it had turned into a ghost town. Her eyes glazed over and she sniffed, wiping away the tears.

"Star?" Tom asked softly. He couldn't imagine what this must be like for her, seeing her home in such a state. It sent chills down his spine.

The castle loomed over them with a cold shadow. Star tilted her head back, gazing up at the tip of the watch towers and even past at the black clouds circling above. The temperature dropped noticeably at the peak.

The door opened with a simple push. It groaned with their arrival and the noise echoed off the walls. Bodies littered the foyer. Guards slumped against the staircase. Maids collapsed across the floor on their backs. Broken glass and discarded swords lay scattered around them.

There was a weird tint in the air. It caught the light and shimmered, which was the only way Pony Head saw it. When she caught it the first time, she realized it was _everywhere_. The castled was infested with it.

"Mom!" Star yelled. "Dad?" Her calls fell on deaf ears and bounced down the hallway.

"Shh!" Tom scolded. "Whoever did this might still be here."

Star squeezed her wand. "I'm counting on it." She raced forward, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Star!" Tom shouted, but she was already gone. He grit his teeth and snarled. "Who does she think she is, running into danger like that? How is she not _dead_ yet?"

Pony Head pursed her lips. "If you're done with your little tantrum, we should really probably follow her."

Tom growled irritably, but followed her up the stairs.

•••••

"What's that?" Marco asked, pointing to a flyer pinned to an electrical pole. He and Jackie stood at the street corner, waiting for the light to change so they could go to the park.

Jackie frowned and yanked the flyer off the nail. "The Butterfly Club grand opening!" she read. "Bring your best friend, your special friend, even your dog friend! Guaranteed to be the best club in this dimension. Must be eighteen or older to enter, ten dollars a person…"

"Dimension?" Marco repeated.

"You think it has something to do with Star?"

He chewed on his lip. "It is suspicious timing…" Maybe her should give her a call and tell her? This might mean trouble or

Or this might turn into another one of Star's secrets.

Marco grabbed the flyer and crumbled it up. He tossed it into a trashcan and took Jackie's hand. He smiled, "I'm sure it's nothing."

They crossed the street and headed for the park, leaving the flyer to be blown down the street and into a dark alley. It landed next to the foot of a man hidden in the shadows. The man's hand curled around the corner of a building and his eyes narrowed on the dark haired boy with his girlfriend.

"Marco Diaz," he guessed, eyes glowing red with excitement. "That means Star can't be too far away." He bent down and grabbed the flyer, smoothing it out of the wall.

He grinned at the paper because he needed to get to Star, and this was the perfect place to do it.


	5. Starco Makes Up

Star stopped at the edge of her parents' room, hair flying in her face as she caught herself on the doorframe. The room was silent and foggy, glistening in the sunlight pouring in from the broken window. Scattered across the floor were papers and glass. Against the left wall was her parents' canopy bed with a soft white curtain draped over the sides. Star could faintly make out two dark shadows lying on the bed, peaceful and still.

"Mom," Star breathed, tiptoeing into the room. "Dad?" She crept to the bed and peeled back the white curtain. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart stopped painfully because for a moment, her parents lay dead in front of her.

In a spur of the moment, Star took a deep breath and ripped the mask off her head. She tossed it to the side and laid her head on her mom's chest, listening for something, _anything_.

"Star!" Tom shouted, eyes wide at the sight before him. He rushed in and pulled Star away from the bed. Tom caught her waist and stumbled as she collapsed in his arms. He slammed his fist against the floor and a flurry of fire raced across the floor and carried her discarded mask back to him. He carefully slipped it over her face and sighed when she gasped a breath of air. Tears welled in her eyes and her throat ached as she choked back a sob. Pony Head hesitantly peeked into the bed, a shudder running down her neck as she gazed over the king and queen.

"They're alive," she confirmed, turning back to Star. "They're breathing… Barely." She lowered in front of Star and met her best friend's eyes. "Your parents are okay, B-Fly."

Star stared up at her parents' bed. It reminded her of when she was young and would wake her parents after she had a nightmare. At that moment, she faced her worse fear and nobody was there to protect her; a tear slipped down her cheek.

"We're going to find who did this," Star growled, her voice weak and wavering. She wiped her eyes and climbed to her feet. "Nobody messes with my family and gets away with it."

She turned and offered a hand to Tom. He took it wordlessly and the pair exchanged a look. There were no words, but he seemed to understand. Tom jumped to his feet and fished his scissors out of his back pocket.

"We need to get out of here." The girls nodded and he tore a portal into the air. Pony Head flew through first and Tom followed. Star lingered in her parents' room, gazing at their sleeping figures for what felt like hours.

"I'll be back," she swore. "I'll put an end to this. Promise."

•••••

When Marco returned home that evening, there was somebody in the kitchen. He groaned, praying it wasn't Pony Head or Tom. He didn't feel like dealing with either that day. Marco tossed his bag on the couch and kicked his shoes off on his way to the kitchen.

Star sat at the counter, cheek in hand as she stared at a warm pile of nachos. Her face was red and her eyes looked puffy.

"Star?" he said softly. She looked up in surprise and quickly wiped her eyes.

"Uh, hey Marco! I was just, uh, making nachos. Want some?" Her smile was bright and her voice dripped with hope, but her eyes were dull and unfocused. Marco leaned over the counter and plucked a chip from the side.

They sat in silence for a while, eating their snack and avoiding eye contact. Marco felt at ease, actually. Obviously something was wrong, but this was the most time he'd spent with Star since she returned. It was kind of nice.

"I'm sorry," she whispered so softly that it almost blended with the silence. Marco looked at her to make sure he'd heard right. She met his eyes and repeated, "I'm sorry, Marco."

"For what?"

"You know what."

"Why?"

"Why am I sorry?"

"That's… One of the questions, yeah."

Star chewed on her lip and her eyes lowered to the nachos. "I didn't have anything left to do on Earth."

"I'm not asking why you _left_ ," he nearly growled. "I'm asking why you didn't let me _stay_."

"Because I couldn't _handle_ it," she bit back. "So much had already happened and just when I thought everything could go back to normal, I remembered my normal was going back to Earth with you and your parents and our friends and… And Jackie."

Marco frowned. "What's Jackie got to do with this?"

She rolled her eyes. Sometimes, he was oblivious. "Nothing, never mind." She dragged herself off the counter and began heading for the living room. Marco slid off the stool and caught her arm.

"I don't like that you're keeping secrets from me," he said firmly. "What's going on that I can't know about?"

"It's not really any of your business." She jerked her arm from his grasp. "It's just not your fight, Marco."

Marco narrowed his eyes. "You can't just show up out of nowhere after six months and expect to stay here while you keep secrets! Either you tell me what's going on or get out."

Her face fell. " _What_?"

"Do you know how long it took me to finally be even remotely okay when you left? _Four months_. You shut the portal on me and threw away the key. I was finally getting used to normal life again when you showed up unannounced looking for a place to stay! You can't just _do_ that, Star. You can't leave and then show up when you need a place to crash."

"I'm trying to keep you out of it-"

"No Star, you're using me as a safe house for you and your weirdo friends while you guys go and start trouble someplace else-"

"That's _not_ what we're doing."

"Then what _are_ you doing?" Marco shouted. His voice bounced throughout the house.

Star clenched her fists at her sides. " _Someone is trying to destroy Mewni_!"

Silence engulfed them. Star could hear faint footsteps above and the rest of the house was quiet. She guessed Tom and Pony Head were trying to listen in on the conversation.

"Again?" Marco couldn't help but say, raising an eyebrow.

Star rolled her eyes. "This is more serious than Toffee. Pony Head, Tom, and I are supposed to be at a safe house far away from our kingdoms. My parents told me about it growing up, but my mom said that it's never been used. This is the first time in centuries."

"Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"Because I didn't want to mess up your life again. It's finally perfect here with the perfect girl and you're so confident now; it's like I'm talking to a whole new Marco Diaz."

Marco rolled his eyes. "You know I'm like this because of you, right?"

"Maybe. You also got kidnapped by Toffee because of me. Your entire arm was replaced by a monster arm with a mind of its own because of me. Don't think I don't notice the way you flinch when someone comes up behind you or how you hate being in the dark. I have messed up your life so much so far that I figured you could just use a break."

"I've had my break and I hated it. I missed you and all of the crazy, dangerous, life-threatening missions that comes with being your friend. I want in on whatever you're planning because you've helped me so much, the least I can do is return the favor."

Star stared at him, eyes wide and brows drawn together. A smile twitched a her lips and she looked away. "If you're sure…"

"I am," Marco confirmed. "More than anything. Just _talk to me, Star_."

She pulled her lower lip between her teeth. Her eyes trailed up to the dark living room staring back at her and she muttered, "You guys can come out now."

Marco frowned and glanced toward the room. Slowly, Pony Head and Tom crept out of the shadows. They smiled sheepishly at the pair.

"We just got down here," Tom lied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Totally didn't hear anything."

"He's totally lyin'," Pony Head admitted. "Y'all were so loud that we could probably hear you from Mewni."

Star crossed her arms over her chest. "Marco's part of the team now. So speaking of Mewni, we-" The doorbell cut her off. The teens looked at each other before Star sighed and headed for the door. "Fill him in, would you?"

There was a tall man standing on the porch when Star opened the door. The man had a pretty smile and dirty blond hair that swept over his eyebrows. He a few inches taller than her and dressed in a black suit. He leaned against the doorframe and beamed at her. She debated calling for Pony Head.

"Good evening, _Princess Star Butterfly_."

Star's stomach dropped and her eyes narrowed. She reached for the wand that usually rested in a belt around her waist and grit her teeth when she remembered she left it on the kitchen counter. She curled her hand into a fist and glared at the man.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"That's a little complicated. All you need to know is that my name is Alec." He searched her face for a reaction and continued when he didn't find anything, "Come to my party tomorrow night and I'll tell you more."

His eyes had a faint red glow to them. "You're a demon," Star accused.

Alec shook his head. "Not quite. So, can I count on your attendance?" He held out his hand and a pink envelope appeared in a burst of white sparks. Fancy letters in gold were drawn across the front spelling out _The Butterfly Club_.

She met his eyes. "Who _are_ you?" she hissed.

"Come to the club, ask for the King, and find out."

"If you think that I'm going alone-"

"Of course not; you're too smart for that. Bring your friends, your boyfriend, I don't care. Just be there at nine o'clock sharp and don't be late."

As Star walked back to the kitchen, she heard Pony Head ask Marco, "So, what happened to Toffee?"

Star cleared her throat, killing the conversation before it could start. She stood in the doorway, envelope at her side. "I've been invited to a party," she explained, waving the card in front of her, "by a possible demon."

"Demons and Earth turds," Pony Head whistled. "Girl, you sure do have a type." Star glared at her.

"Who was it?" Tom asked. "What'd he look like?"

"Um, he was tall with blond hair and red eyes."

" _Red_ eyes?" Marco repeated. "Nope, not human."

"He said his name was Alec."

"Never heard of him," Tom admitted.

"Well, he gave me this fancy invitation to The Butterfly Club and he knows I'm a princess, so he has to be from Mewni."

"Relative?" Marco suggested.

Star shook her head. "I would've recognized him… Maybe."

" _Maybe_?" Marco stressed.

Tom ignored him. "You're not going alone."

"I know. Actually, I was going to ask you to go with me."

" _Me_?" Tom asked at the same time Marco said, " _Him_?"

"Don't worry Earth turd, you can be my date," Pony Head reassured the human.

Star shook her head. "No, Pony Head-"

"It's been too long since I've partied, so you can't stop me."

"Besides," Marco added, "you might need backup." Star looked worried. Marco scowled. "Stop worrying about me, Star."

"I can't help it," she muttered. "You guys don't have to help me. I can be putting you all in danger or-"

"This is our fight too, Star," Tom argued. "It's not your fault if it's _our_ choice."

Star nodded slowly, swallowing back her fears. "Okay… You're right, okay. Then I guess we have a party to prepare for."


	6. Bathroom Breakdown

Oskar met Star at her locker the next morning.

"Hey Star," he greeted. She jumped in surprise then offered him a smile.

"Hey, Oskar. Long time no see, huh?" She retrieved her books and closed her locker. They began down the hall heading to their first class.

"Yeah, where have you been? I missed you."

Star felt herself blush. "Um, I had to go home for a little bit. It's a long story, you know."

"Well I'm having a party tonight."

"It's Wednesday?"

"Midweek stress reliever. Some friends of mine want to destroy their parents' old car. You can tell me that long story if you'd like."

Janna appeared out of nowhere, slinging an arm around Star's shoulders. "Did I heard something about destroying a car?"

If Janna noticed the tension in Star's shoulders, she didn't comment.

"Tonight at the junkyard!" Oskar answered, eyes shinning.

"Aw yeah!" Janna cheered. They high fived across Star. "We're _so_ there, right Star?"

Star shook her head. "I have plants tonight, sorry."

Oskar shrugged, though he looked disappointed. "No big deal. Maybe some other time."

The trio went their separate ways in class. Oskar headed to the back corner while the girls walked to the middle. Pony head hovered at her desk in front of Tom, who sat between Janna and Star.

"Why'd you turn down Oskar? I thought you liked him?" Janna asked, leaning on Tom's desk. He scowled and shoved her arm off. She paid him no attention and leaned on his desk again. Tom scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Because I really _do_ have plans tonight," Star explained. "And I'm not sure if I still like him!"

"Who?" Tom asked.

Star jabbed her thumb toward the corner. "The cinnamon roll in the back with the really big green eyes and fangs."

Tom looked at her skeptically. "What's a cinnamon roll?"

Star smiled. "We're buying cinnamon rolls tonight because they are _heavenly_."

"She's right," Janna agreed, "but enough about the cinnamon rolls! What are you up to tonight?"

"We're goin' clubbing!" Pony Head exclaimed, drawing some of the other kids' attentions.

"What!" Janna cried.

"No, no, no we're not," Star argued, glaring at Pony Head.

"Uh, yes we are? We're going to the Butterfly Club." Tom rolled his eyes and Star face palmed.

"No way." Janna's jaw dropped. "That's the hottest club in town! How are you getting in? I wanna go!"

"We're not going to _party_ -" Tom began.

"Well, _they're_ not," Pony Head said with a smirk. "I wanna try some of Earth's crazy drinks, though."

Star shook her head. "You can't go Janna. Sorry."

"Is Marco going or is this just a Mewman thing?"

Star sighed, "Marco's different."

"Sisters before misters, Star! How could you?" Janna gasped, falling back into her desk with a huff. Star pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Just… Talk to me after class."

•••••

"… _Whoa_."

Star took a deep breath. She'd just explained the situation to Janna. They sat in the auditorium with Tom and Pony Head during their free period.

"Yeah," Star said, "that's why we're not going to _party_." She shot a pointed look at Pony Head.

"Maybe she could go, though," Tom suggested. The girls turned to them.

"What?" they asked.

"We'd look pretty suspicious on our own, wouldn't we? If we had more humans, we wouldn't look so out of place."

"Sounds like Pony Head and Marco don't necessarily have to go, either," Janna pointed out. "I'd just be another extra partier."

Star sighed. "Fine, okay. Just be on guard and if things get out of hand-"

"Chill out, B-Fly! We got this." Pony Head reassured. "Sheesh, you sound like such a mom."

Star chose to ignore that comment. "Okay, so be at my house at 8:30." Janna nodded eagerly.

"So, what are we going to wear?" Pony Head asked.

Tom blinked. "What are we _supposed_ to wear?"

"It shouldn't be any different than the bounce lounge, right?" Star asked. She wasn't expecting to dress up, especially not if it's a business meeting.

"Not Earth clubs," Janna explained with the shake of her head. "You gotta look good here. The tighter the clothes, the better."

Tom snickered. "This just got interesting."

Pony Head nudged Star's arm. "A shopping spree is sure to cheer you up!"

Star offered a weak smile. "I'm not upset or anything; this night just isn't for partying. We could be meeting with the guy who is trying to take over Mewni."

Pony Head pouted. "You used to think _every_ night was for partying."

"Well, things change."

Silence fell over them. Star grabbed her bag and jumped to her feet. "I'm going to the bathroom." She left quickly, escaping the chance of her Mewman friends to bring up Toffee again.

The bathrooms by the auditorium were usually empty. Unlike what had engulfed her group, this silence was rather comforting. Star slung her bag on the counter and walked into a stall. When she was finished, she flushed the toilet and returned to the sinks.

Star turned on the faucet. Her hands hovered over the water, twitching with anticipation. "It's water," she whispered. "It's just water, Star."

Droplets splashed on her fingertips and chilled to her bones. She withdrew her hands and squeezed them into tight fists. The running water echoed in her head, triggering a chill across her body and a disturbing image flashed through her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut, counted to ten, and took deep breaths.

"Star?"

Star's eyes snapped open and she met Jackie's gaze in the mirror.

"Uh, hi," Star said, offering a weak smile.

Jackie smiled back, but it felt odd. She had never witnessed Star Butterfly look _weak_. "Hey. Are you okay?" Jackie crept further into the room, steps hesitant and shoulders tense. She worried she'd just watched something she wasn't supposed to.

"Yeah," Star answered, waving her hand nonchalantly, "yeah, of course, why wouldn't I be?" The truth burned in her throat and she longed to tell someone, but not her. Not Jackie.

"Okay…" Jackie changed the subject quickly, "So, there's a new horror movie on. I was thinking you, me, Janna, and Marco could go see it tonight."

She's spun that lie together off the top of her head, but it actually sounded like a fun idea. It'd been a while since she and Marco went to a movie together.

"Sorry, Marco and I have plans tonight," Star said, leaning on the counter. She turned off the water and the pair was engulfed in more silence.

Jackie tried not to feel jealous. "Oh, well, what are you doing?" She had to remind herself often that Star and Marco were best friends first, and she didn't want to disrupt what they already had. Then again, Star disappeared rather rudely for six months, so Jackie didn't feel _as_ bad about wanting Marco to herself.

"We're making dinner for his parents for their, like, anniversary or something." Star had to pat herself on the back because her lying skills were getting better.

"Oh, so _now_ you want to help Marco?"

 _That had a lot more sass than I planned,_ Jackie thought, crossing her arms over her chest.

Star blinked. "Um, what?"

"Well, I mean, you abandoned him, Star. Do you realize how crushed he was?"

"I know. I already apologized and we made up." She began to grab her bag, suddenly needing an escape.

"So, does that mean you're here for good?"

Star froze. She fell silent, contemplating her words. Jackie took this as a sign to continue, "Don't get his hopes up if you don't plan on staying. He doesn't need that again."

"It's complicated," Star sighed. "I have my own life and responsibilities back on Mewni."

"Since when does Star Butterfly care about responsibilities?"

Star grit her teeth. She knew she had a reputation six months ago for being carefree and irresponsible, but that was then. She was a different person now and she was getting tired of explaining it.

"Since I _died_ ," Star spat, glaring at Jackie. "Since Mewni's greatest threat destroyed my kingdom. Since hundreds of my people were killed by Ludo and his stupid rat army. Things are different when you're about to be crowned queen of millions of people!"

There was that silence again, thick and suffocating. The girls stared at each other, one shell shocked and the other close to tears.

Star's shoulder slumped. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That was a lot of junk that has nothing to do with you and-"

 _Oof_

Jackie held the girl in a tight hug. Star melted into the embrace, enjoying the warmth that the water had frozen.

"It's cool," Jackie said. "Sometime you just gotta get it out."

Star felt herself smile. She squeezed Jackie back and shut her eyes, resting her chin on Jackie's shoulder.

When she opened them, a certain floating pony head stared back, jaw dropped and eyes wide.


	7. The Best Club in This Dimension

Tom & Star's relationship may be a bit OOC in this & that could be 'cause I kinda ship them and I got carried away with the idea of them working together idk my bad hah

* * *

Janna came over to get ready that night.

"Okay," Star began, dimensional scissors in hand, "you have five minutes to choose a dress, try it on, and get back."

Janna laughed almost maniacally. "Finally, you're using those things for some real fun!"

Pony Head raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you get dimensional scissors? I thought you said Heckapoo took them back?"

Star glanced at the golden name carved into the blades. "They're Marco's."

"Where'd that Earth turd get dimensional scissors from?! And why do you have them?"

"Tell ya later. Who's first?"

"Me!" Pony Head cried. "I already know where I'm going." She took the scissors from Star, created a portal, and disappeared.

"Finally, Reckless Star is coming back!" Janna cheered, sighing happily.

"Don't get your hopes up; I'm not the same person you remember, but I accidentally blew up on Jackie today, got some things off my chest, and now I feel a little bit better." Star shrugged.

"So does that mean you might actually party tonight?"

"Don't know. This is still really important."

Pony Head returned wearing a short black crop top with black sequins. "Your turn, Janna," she said, tossing the scissors to Star.

Star asked, "Where to, Janna?"

"Brooklyn, New Jersey. I know a guy up there."

With a nod and a laugh, Star cut a portal through the air and said, "You got it. I'll leave the portal open."

When the princesses were alone, Pony Head began, "So, real talk-"

Star groaned. "I don't want to talk about my feelings, Pony Head."

"Neither do I." Pony Head made a face. "Feelings are stupid and boring, but you said you _died_ , B-Fly."

"Maybe I did and maybe I didn't. I don't know, exactly. I just know that I talked to Glossaryck and I'm pretty sure he's dead."

Pony Head frowned and tilted her head, "Where _were_ you?!"

Janna returned dressed in a black off-the-shoulder dress that flared out at the bottom and hugged her figure comfortably and a pair of black ankle boots.

"Whoa, girl, you look _hot_ ," Star complimented. "I never thought I'd see you in a dress."

"Thanks. My guy said I have to return this by tomorrow night, so let's party as much as we can before them!"

"Alright B-Fly, your turn. Where are you heading?"

"I dunno. Where's a good place to steal a dress?"

"Uh well, if you want nice go to Paris, but you want edgy, you can go to Brooklyn. My man will hook you up," Janna said with a smirk.

"Actually," Star said, eyes lighting up, "I have the perfect place." She beamed with excitement. "BRB."

Janna turned to Pony Head when Star left. "So, what's the deal with Star?"

"Apparently she died or something a few months ago."

"You don't know anything about it?"  
Before Pony Head could answer, Star stumbled back into the room. Her eyes watered and she gasped desperately for air. She had a red dress clutched to her chest and a pair of matching shoes in her hands. Janna caught her friend's shoulders before Star could collapse.

"Whoa, whoa, what happened?" Janna asked. "Are you okay?"

"Where'd you go?" Pony Head added, hovering beside Janna's head.

"Home," Star breathed. "I've been wanting to use this dress for months."

"What?!" Pony Head gasped. "How'd you get in? You didn't have a mask or anything! Girl, you're _crazy_!"

"I'm fine. I just held my breath and ran." She laid her dress on her bed. "So, what do you think? Are we ready to go clubbing?"

Pony Head and Janna glanced at each other. Janna stepped forward and looked over her dress. It was a simple cherry red strapless dress and the shoes were pumps with golden accents traced along the sides.

"Almost. Once we fix our hair and junk, we'll be ready."

Star raised an eyebrow. "I didn't think you cared about this stuff."

"I don't unless there's a party involved. We're fifteen, it's time to show off what our mamas gave us!"

Star and Pony Head looked at each other, familiar grins creeping on their lips.

•••••

At 8:45, the team gazed up at the club from across the street. It was a broad two story brick building with _The Butterfly Club_ flashing in pink neon lights above an arched entrance. There was a line wrapped all the way around the side of the building with a large man at the front wearing a black shirt and a red bowtie. Colorful lights flashed through the windows and a steady beat rang so loudly through the walls that Star could feel her ribcage shudder.

"So," Star said, looking at her friends, "are we ready?"

"Yes!" Janna and Pony Head cried. Marco gave her a thumbs up. Tom smiled and looped his arm around hers.

"Let's do this, Starship."

Marco frowned as he eyed their intertwined arms. As they crossed the street and made their way to the front, he couldn't help but wonder. Why did Star ask Tom to go with her and not Marco? Marco knew they hadn't talked in months, but surely he was better than demon ex-boyfriend Tom, who Star always talked badly about. He couldn't stop glaring at how close they were as they led the way into the building.

"We're gonna go find Alec," Star yelled over the music. Then, she tugged Tom's arm and they disappeared in the crowd. Marco sighed and turned to the girls.

"Let's head to the bar!" Pony Head cried.

"We're fifteen; they're not going to serve us anything," Marco pointed out.

"No biggie Earth Turd, I think I know the guy." Pony Head squinted at the bartender. Janna and Marco followed close behind as the princess made her way through the crowd.

When they reached the bar, Marco understood how Pony Head might know them. A unicorn man stood behind the counter wearing a yellow Hawaiian shirt and black pants. The unicorn was in the midst of shaking a drink with his hoofs when the trio approached.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Pony Head asked. The unicorn glanced at her, eyes widening and jaw dropping.

"I'll take that as a yes," Marco muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

The unicorn turned his attention back to the drink, muttering nervously to himself, "He didn't say… She's supposed to be… That liar…"

Pony head hovered forward, getting in the unicorn's face and glaring into his eyes. They held a steady gaze for a moment before Pony Head pushed away.

"Tony," she said, awestruck.

"That's not my name," Tony snapped.

"I'm confused," Janna admitted.

Turning to them, Pony Head tilted her horn at the bartender, "This is Anthony, one of my dad's royal guard."

"Former royal guard," Anthony corrected. "Now I'm a bartender in this… Totally random club I found by accident." He glanced up briefly before looking back at the kids.

Marco accused, "You're working for Alec!"

•••••

Alec found them on the edge of the dance floor. He wasn't sure who initiated it, but the couple was in the middle of a dance. Alec almost didn't want to break them up because their dancing style was so humorous, but Alec was on the clock. He'd caught the rest of their party by the car and he knew it wouldn't take long for them to piece things together.

Alec smiled as he approached them. "Princess Star, glad you could make it! And Prince Tom, I wasn't expecting you. Boyfriend or bodyguard?"

"Bodyguard, kinda," Star answered, glancing at Tom.

"Perfect. Let's go somewhere quieter, yeah?" He waved his hand and spun on his heel, storming through the crowd.

As they walked, Tom felt like he was being watched. He glared over his shoulder and studied every person that passed. There was a break in the crowd and he spotted the rest of their group at a bar, talking to a unicorn man. Tom looked away, confused; he hadn't been expecting that.

Alec led them through a door in the back corner of the club. Inside was a small room with a couch, a small TV, small kitchen, and another door beside the couch. It was noticeably quieter in there; silent, in fact.

"How's it so quiet in here?" Star asked. Even as she said it though, she could feel something odd. The atmosphere was heavier in there, like some kind of force was pressing against their chests. It kind of reminded her of that place Toffee left her in.

Tom felt it, too. It was the sort of feeling that came with the wrong kind of magic. "It's been charmed," he realized. Charming and other kinds of magic that didn't involve spells were often associated with dark magic. With the only exception of Eclipsa, dark magic was usually found in the Underworld, and even there it was forbidden.

"He's right," Alec confirmed. "If I had known you'd be here, I would've chosen a different place to meet."

"So you _are_ a demon," Star said. Alec shook his head.

"I'm not a demon," he began, "but I have been living in the Underworld for the past 300 years."

"Wha-How?" Star asked.

"It'd be best to start from the beginning, yes? Hello, I'm Alexander Butterfly and I'm your _really_ distant cousin."

•••••

Pony Head glared at Anthony. "Why are you working for the enemy?"

"It was either that or die with the rest of them."

"We don't know that they're dead," Pony Head argued sharply.

"How many of you are there?" Marco asked.

"Dozens. He recruited all across Mewni." Anthony glanced up again and the kids followed the gaze. Now that the second floor was pointed out, it was hard to miss. Unicorns and demons and other Mewmans were scattered across the top, watching over the club with a kind of concentration that shot chills down Marco's spine.

"Wait," Janna said, looking at her friends, "what does this mean?"

Pony Head clenched her jaw. " _Treason_."


	8. The Truth

"You can't be Eclipsa's son," Star declared. "She didn't have any kids-"

"None that were worth sharing with the rest of Mewni, no. I was born after she was banished from the kingdom."

"She wasn't banished, she ran."

"Because she knew you judgmental Mewmans wouldn't approve," Alec spat. Venom dripped from his words and his face twisted with hatred. "If it weren't for the reputation your kind has built against monsters, Eclipsa would've stayed and I would've been next in line for the throne."

Star shook her head. "No, you wouldn't have. We rule by _women_ ; you being an only child wouldn't have changed that."

"And why can't a man rule, hm? Are the Butterflys so full of pride that they won't give the other gender a chance?"

"Men rule in other parts of Mewni, such as the Underworld," Star gestured to Tom, "and the Cloud Kingdom."

Alec raised an eyebrow. "Yet your unicorn friend out there is heir to her throne."

Tom shrugged. "Thirteen tries and they never had any boys."

"My point is," Star said, "that every kingdom has their traditions. Women have ruled the Butterfly kingdom for centuries and that wasn't going to change just for you."

"Maybe not _then_ , but times have changed."

"What do you mean?" Tom demanded.

"I mean that," Alec fished a pocket watch from the inside of his jacket, "time has quite literally changed and a few people across Mewni will be miraculously cured in two days time." He grinned at the two. "All I need is a few hundred Mewmen approval and a crown before I can finally get what I deserve."

Star's face paled. "You want to take my kingdom," she realized. Her heart skipped a beat.

"No dear, think bigger. I want to take _all_ of the kingdoms."

Her stomach dropped. Her breath caught in her throat and her mouth dried. Alec grinned wickedly at her, eyes wide and glowing a murderous red.

Tom could see Star faltering. He took a step forward, shielding her while glaring at the man. "Well you're not getting them. _Any_ of them."

"I don't know how you're going to stop me!" Alec mocked. "You're just a couple of kids with no experience at all. You don't stand a chance alone."

"And you do?" Tom growled.

"Whoever said I was alone? On your way out kids, take a good look at my security. Unicorns, demons, there _were_ Waterfolk, but they didn't make it long without water… It's amazing what some will do to stay alive, isn't it?"

Alec tilted his head, peeking at the girl behind the demon's arm. She looked frail and young, like a child whose toy had just been taken from her. Her face was ghostly white and her fingers nervously twisted the red butterfly ring. He took pride in knowing that he'd taken her by surprise, the infamous Rebel Princess at a loss for words. The sight was amusing.

"You're not going to win this, Star Butterfly. May as well give up now."

"Never," Star hissed with as much strength as she could muster at the moment. Her head was spinning with everything she'd just heard. She couldn't process more than a few words at a time because she was too focused on the fact that _he sounded just like Toffee_.

Tom turned, gently grasping her wrist. "C'mon Star, let's go."

"I look forward to seeing you again, Star!" Alec called after them. "I can tell this is going to be fun."

Biting back a snarl, Tom pulled Star back into the loud club atmosphere. She stumbled and he caught her waist, holding her upright as they moved through the crowd.

"Star!" Marco shouted, scrambling through the crowd. Janna and Pony Head were hot on his heels, shoving people out of their way.

"Tom, look," Star said, forcing him to stop. She had finally snapped back to reality and could take in the scene around her. Tom looked down at her, then in the direction she was staring. "He was right."

A chill ran down her spine. Mewmans surrounded them, glared at them, as though they were waiting to attack.

"I see you, uh, already know," Marco muttered behind her.

"Yeah," Star whispered. It was lost in the music blaring through their ears. Her hands trembled as she fished her scissors from her purse. She tore through the empty air and led the group through the portal.

When she was back in the safety of her room, Star felt as though she could breathe again. She collapsed on her bed and took a few deep breaths. The rest of the heirs remained silent, their gazes on the floor or jumping around the room.

"They betrayed us," Pony Head stated, breaking the silence.

"Doesn't treason happen sometimes?" Janna asked.

Star shook her head. "Our kingdoms have been at peace for centuries. There shouldn't be a reason for it."

"Even if it does happen," Tom added, " _we've_ never seen it. That's something our parents deal with."

"Yeah," Pony Head agreed. "I've never actually _seen_ any traitors."

Despite the painful churning in her stomach, Star joked, "D'ya think they were a myth?"

"Psh, no," Pony Head scoffed. "… Maybe."

"So, what now?" Marco asked.

"We, um…" Star chewed on her lip. "Uh… I have no idea."

"We have to wake our parents up," Tom declared.

"Yeah, but how?" Pony Head questioned.

"Can't you find the spell or whatever that was used?" Janna suggested.

Star looked at Tom, who shrugged. "Maybe, but it could take a while. Dark magic is forbidden across Mewni, so it's probably well hidden."

"Dark magic?" Marco repeated. "Like, Eclipsa's?"

"Oh, we didn't fill you in," Star mumbled. "So Alec turned out to be my really, really great cousin or something. He's Eclipsa's child and he's really mad that he couldn't rule during his time." She shrugged like it was no big deal. She could feel Tom staring at her, but she chose to ignore him.

"Wicked," Janna whispered.

"How's he still alive?" Marco said, eyes wide.

"Dunno, but he plans to rule Mewni. He was recruiting Mewmans so he could be voted in to rule."

"Since when is Mewni a democracy?" Janna asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"It's not," Marco explained. "Every kingdom has a king and a queen, right? He can't rule."

"He can if he has royal blood," Star sighed.

"And if there's no one else," Tom included. "He said that some people in Mewni will be waking up in two days. It won't be hard to find somebody who will crown him."

"So… Why don't you guys beat him to it?" Janna asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

The Mewmans and Marco stared at her. "What?" they asked, shooting weird looks at each other for speaking at the same time. Star and Pony Head snickered.

"What do you mean?" Tom said, rolling his eyes at the girls.

"Well, they're _your_ kingdoms or whatever, right? Why don't you just claim your thrones first?" Janna leaned against the door and raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"You mean… Be _crowned_?" Star asked slowly, jaw dropping as she looked at her friends.

"Ha ha, you humans are funny," Pony Head laughed nervously.

"We _can't_ be crowned," Tom stressed. "There has to be another way."

"Why can't you?" Marco demanded. "Thought you guys were rulers-in-training or something."

"Well yeah but… But we're fifteen!" Pony Head whined. "We're too young to be crowned."

"But if Mewni needs us…" Star muttered. The gang switched their attention to the blonde. She stared at the floor and twisted a strand of hair around her finger.

"Starship c'mon, you're supposed to be the Rebel Princess," Tom joked, but the humor didn't reach his eyes.

"My mom was forced to become queen after Toffee killed my grandmother. She was our age."

"Oh hey, speaking of Toffee…" Pony Head trailed off.

"Don't change the subject," Marco warned.

"Yeah," Star agreed. "If we're Mewni's only hope, then we don't have a choice. This isn't about us anymore, it's about our people."

Tom sighed. "We're actually doing this, aren't we?"

"Yes, but only temporarily!" Star reassured. "Once our parents wake up, they'll know what to do."

Pony Head whistled. "This gon' be wild. Let's do it."

•••••

That night, Star and Marco met in the kitchen again. This time, Star greeted him with a smile. She had a mug trapped between her hands with steam rising from it.

"Hey," he smiled.

"Hi! What's up?"

He squinted his eyes suspiciously. "You're in a good mood."

She pointed to her mug. "I have hot coco."

"Ah."

"But um, I gotta say… I don't think I'm ready to be queen," she admitted quietly.

"You're not alone. I heard Pony Head and Tom freaking out about it upstairs."

"It's just… _Such_ a big responsibility and we're on our own."

"You have Janna and me." He frowned, then added, "Well, you have me. I wouldn't trust Janna with anything political."

Star giggled. "Yeah, me neither." She dipped her head and gently blew on her drink. "I think I'm gonna go to the Underworld tomorrow and see if I can find the spell Alec used."

"Alone?"

"Tom will go with me, probably. I have no idea where to even start, but maybe he will."

Marco pursed his lips. "You and Tom are pretty close considering he tried to manipulate you a few months ago."

Star chewed on her lip. "We, um, we've kinda talked a lot since everything happened. I could never bring up the battle with Toffee, and he never asked. He was just… _There_ , and it was nice."

"Oh, now I get it."

She looked at him, confused. "Get what?"

"Why you banished me from Mewni. You wanted me gone so you had an excuse to get back with Tom."

Star's eyes widened. "Th-That's _not_ what happened."

"You really had me going there for a while," Marco laughed bitterly. "I actually thought you hated him."

"I do! I… I _did_. He's gotten better at controlling his anger. Plus, he knows how hard this kinda life is."

"It's not that hard to get, Star." Marco rolled his eyes. "If you would've just talked to me, I would understand, too."

"Marco Diaz, are you jealous?" Star joked, an attempt to liven the mood. Instead of a smile like she had been expecting, Marco glared coldly at her.

"No Star, I'm mad that when you needed somebody, you stole the dimensional scissors that I worked _hard_ to earn and kicked me out of Mewni. I couldn't been there for you!" he cried, his harsh tone ringing in her ears.

"I said I was sorry," Star said softly.

Marco ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry doesn't fix everything." He pushed out of his chair, mumbling, "I'm going to bed."

"Marco, wait," Star tried.

"I'm done waiting for you to talk to me."

"I have talked to you!" Star argued. She stormed at him, hands clenched at her sides. "I told you about-"

"You've told me about what's happening now. What about six months ago? The battle for Mewni? Toffee, your mom, Glossaryck? I don't know anything that happened after because you _sent me home the next day_. Why're you keeping all of this to yourself? Me, Pony Head, Tom… We want to help, but how can we if you won't _talk_?"

His outburst echoed throughout the house. His body trembled, cheeks burned, breathing hitched. Marco's jaw clenched as he glowered at Star. Her tear filled eyes didn't even phase him.

"And just when I thought we were doing okay again," she mumbled, wiping at her eyes.

"Whose fault is it that we weren't okay in the first place?" he snapped.

"You don't know how _scary_ it was with Toffee. I thought I was _dead_ ," she cried, voice wavering.

"I'm sure that _was_ scary, but things were just as bad on the outside. Did you even think about how your mom felt? She _broke_ , Star. And me?" Marco looked at his hands. "If Toffee wasn't immortal, I would've _killed_ him."

Star fell silent. She stared at her shoes, sniffed, wiped a tear from her cheek as it began to fall. "Mom always told me how disappointed she was that I made you leave. She said that she knew you cared about me because of what you did while I was gone, but she never went into details."

Marco shook his head. "You mean way too much to me, Star. I couldn't just let him walk away after what he did."

She ignored the way her heart warmed when he said that. "I'm sorry, Marco."

He pursed his lips. "Yeah, I'm sure you are," he sighed, turning on his heel and walking away, leaving her in silence.

Star stared at her hot coco, suddenly the thought sickening. Slowly, she dragged herself to her feet and dumped the drink into the sink. Then, she headed for the stairs, longing for the comfort of her bed.

Pony Head and Tom had retreated to their respective floors, probably getting ready for bed. When the door shut, Pony Head peaked over the edge eagerly. "Hey, B-Fly! You wanna-" She froze, face falling at the sight of her best friend.

On the top floor, Tom paused in the midst of changing into his pajamas. He'd heard Pony Head greet Star a moment ago and was curious as to why the unicorn fell silent. For a few beats, there was silence. Tom stepped to the edge of the floor, gazing down to try and spot the girls.

Star sat slumped on her floor, knees pulled to her chest with a worried Pony Head hovering around her. Tom leapt off his floor, using a burst of fire that vanished into thin air to slow him down until he landed.

"Starship, what's wrong?" he asked softly. "Did Marco do this?"

With a sniff, Star shook her head. "I-I need to tell you guys what happened with Toffee."

Pony Head and Tom exchanged looks. They sat on the ground and gathered around Star. She wiped her eyes and began to retell the story from the beginning, all the way back to when Toffee captured Marco.

Somewhere between the beginning and the end, Star began to cry. Once she started, she couldn't stop. It was like the wall she had built around the last six months finally broke and she didn't try to stop it. Tom scooted beside her, wrapping her in a comforting hug that she melted into.

They stayed like that for hours, the three of them. Tom held Star tightly as though she'd break if he let go. He wasn't entirely sure that wasn't true. He'd never seen Star look so fragile, so vulnerable. That bit at the club was only the tip of the iceberg, he realized.

Eventually, she fell asleep, a weight lifted off her shoulders. It was the best sleep she'd gotten in months.


	9. Splitting Up

I'm not happy with this chapter, tbh. It kind dragged and the ending may be rushed, but I wanted to hurry and upload this before I went to bed (It's kinda 2:30 in the AM here, hah). I am SUPER excited about the next chapters, though! Especially Tom's coronation because I remembered a certain special defense that the Underworld has and the Lucitor family 100% has it, whether it's canon in the show or not. I can't wait to write it 'cause it looks _so cool_ in my head.

Anyways, boring author's note aside… Enjoy :)

* * *

"Hey, Marco!" Jackie greeted. She leaned against the wall of lockers and beamed at him.

"Morning love," he smiled. "How's it going?"

"Good! How was your parents' dinner last night?"

Marco shut his locker and grabbed her hand before beginning down the hall. "What dinner?" he asked.

Jackie frowned. "Star said you guys were making a dinner for your par-She lied, didn't she?" His blank face said it all. Jackie pursed her lips. "All right, what'd you _really_ do last night?"

"Went to a club so she could talk to some guy trying to take over Mewni. Janna went, too."

"And you didn't tell me?" she said, hurt.

Marco frowned. "I'm sorry, I really am. There was just…" He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "… A lot going on last night."

"Are you okay?"

"Star and I got into another fight."

Jackie rubbed his arm soothingly. "What happened this time?"

"Oh, same thing. She's being secretive and I'm tired of it."

"So… Are you done?"

Marco sighed. "I don't know. On one hand, she's been sneaking around and keeping secrets from everybody, not just me. But on the other hand, she's going through a lot and needs somebody."

"Doesn't she have Tom and Pony Head?"

He scowled. "Don't remind me."

Jackie chewed on her lip. "Okay… So, what're you gonna do? I don't want you to keep helping her if it's gonna make you miserable."

"I've made friends on Mewni. I have some crazy memories there. They need all the help they can get, so I'm not quitting just yet. Just because Star and I are fighting doesn't mean I shouldn't help her save her home."

"I want to join you, then."

"What?"

"You said they need help. Well, I can help."

Marco shook his head. "Jackie, this isn't-"

"I know what I'm getting into, Marco. Remember the dance? I fought off those crazy rats, no problem."

He fought back a smile. "This is a little more serious than a couple of rats."

"I'm a big girl–I can handle myself."

Marco snickered. "Yeah, yeah… Fine, just be careful! I don't want you hurt." He kissed her nose and she giggled.

"You're so cute," she teased, dragging him along to their next class.

•••••

Star screamed, waving her arms frantically as her body tilted dangerously over the edge of a cliff. Tom grabbed her arm, yanking her to him.

"Whoa," she breathed. She laughed sheepishly. "Thanks."

"No problem. This place is difficult to navigate for outsiders," he said, smirking at her.

"This isn't my first trip to the Underworld," Star argued.

Tom jerked his head to the side and continued down the path. "You've never been to this part before. Even I've only been here a few times. It's the perfect place to disappear, so maybe this is where Alec has been hiding."

Star peered over the cliff against Tom's restraints. "I won't fall," she promised with a laugh.

"You almost did a second ago."

"No, I just wasn't expecting the ground to disappear." Tom snickered. Star rolled her eyes and looked back at the pit below. Dark muck bubbled and sloshed against the cliff. It looked familiar.

"Uh, shouldn't that be lava?"

Tom frowned. He leaned over the side and hummed. "Yeah, huh, that's weird. Must be whatever spell that jerk used."

Star stepped away. Curiously, she raised her wand at the ground. She closed her eyes and her cheeks and wand glowed. Star smiled and opened her eyes, relieved.

"What?" Tom asked.

"The last time I saw something like that, Toffee drained Mewni's magic. I was just making sure."

Tom pursed his lips. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"… Then let's get going."

•••••

There was a village hidden in a valley of charred mountains. There were only a few dozen huts across the land. As the pair walked through, they tried to ignore the eery silence that accompanied them.

Demons lay sprawled across the ground, still breathing but unmoving. The spelled captured most in the midst of daily routines like selling produce and going for a run. Star cringed at an adult male wearing short shorts.

A large shack with broken windows and splitting wood stood in front of them. It wobbled in the harsh wind and looked as though it'd crumble at any second. A sign with chipped off latter was planted over the front doors, spelling out _The Tavern_.

"Hm," Star hummed, "creative name. I doubt we're going to find any spells in there, though."

"Worth a shot," Tom shrugged.

Before they could take another step, an arrow shot through the air and plunged into the ground at their feet. Star withdrew her wand, thrusting it in front of her as she glared at her surroundings. Tom stiffened, searching the village for the attacker.

"Show yourself," Tom ordered. His voice echoed through the valley. To their left, twigs snapped and a head peeked around the tree. It was a man with gray skin and a row of small horns across his forehead. He stepped into the open, bow in hand and drawn back with another arrow ready for fire.

"Don't shoot! We're not here to hurt you," Star said.

The demon's eyes widened. "Prince Thomas."

"Yes," Tom answered, "now put down your weapon."

He wavered for only a moment before scoffing and taking aim again. "Funny how it takes a kingdom wide attack for you royals to finally give a damn about us."

Tom clenched his jaw and chose to ignore that. "Put. Your weapon. Down."

"Her first," the demon snapped, looking to Star.

"You attacked _us-_ " Star argued.

"How was _I_ supposed to know you were the high and mighty royal heirs we're all supposed to adore and worship?"

Star didn't like his tone, "You can't talk to us like that!"

"You've got no authority 'round here, _princess_ ," he purred.

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, Star made a face and muttered, "Ew," under her breath.

"Maybe not, but I do," Tom growled, taking a step forward. "Put down your weapons– _both_ of you." He shot a knowing look at Star. She and the unnamed demon glared at each other as they lowered their defenses.

"Who are you?" Tom asked.

"The name's Bartholomew, but you can call me Mew."

"Really?" Star said. "You sure you don't want Bart or… Bart?"

"Bart was my father. I am Mew."

Tom shrugged. "Okay, Mew. We're looking for a half monster man by the name of Alec. Have you heard of him?"

"Tall with beautiful blond hair and a dashing smile?"

Star and Tom exchanged strange looks. "Uh," Tom said, "I guess?"

Mew nodded. "He's been staying in my tavern for a few months. He was a great guy; the village favorite. Always in his room though, practicing…" He looked away from the teens, " _stuff_."

"Stuff meaning dark magic?" Tom asked. "If my parents were around, you'd be arrested and probably hanged."

"Your parents?" Mew raised an eyebrow. "They dead or somethin'?"  
"They're under the same spell you and the rest of your village are," Star explained.

"Hm," Mew hummed.

"Look," Tom said irritably, rolling his eyes, "we need to find the spell that Alec used to make everybody fall asleep. Do you know anything about a spell book of his or something?"  
"In my tavern, sure. You're in luck! Ladies drink free tonight." Mew winked at Star.

"I'm gonna barf," Star mumbled, turning her head to hide her gag.

Tom glared, "Lead the way." Mew nodded and spun on his heel, trotting off toward the bar. Tom and Star followed a few feet behind.

The Tavern was just as unimpressive as the outside. There was a small bar with dozens of bottles on the back wall and three barstools. A couple of tables spotted the floor along with turned over chairs. A foul scent of rotting meat had the teens scrunching their noses in disgust.

"He had a spell book hidden back here," Mew explained, sliding over the counter. He rummaged beneath the bar for a moment before his eyes fell on a giant book. He scooped it in his hands along with a blade that he slipped in his pocket.

Star and Tom gathered around the book, flipping through it slowly. Star smacked a page and exclaimed, "Here it is! The Sleep Spell."

"I've never seen that language before," Tom observed.

"Aye, it's not of our dimension. Most of his spells were picked up across the multiverse."

"If we can't read it, how're we supposed to reverse it?" Star sighed hopelessly.

"Alec said it would wear off by tomorrow."

"Not for our parents, though."

Mew jumped back over the counter. Star took a step back, cringing at the lack of space the demon had put between them. "You tryna tell me Alec is the reason my town is like this?" he demanded. He clutched the blade tightly in his jacket pocket.

Star nodded. "He's the reason all of Mewni's like this."  
"And you kids are supposed to save us?"

"I already _saved_ Mewni once. You're welcome," Star spat.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know. Here, let me show you my gratitude." He reached a hand out and grabbed her wrist.

Star blinked. Tom was across the room, pinning Mew to the wall in an iron grip. His eyes glowed a dark shade of red and his fingertips began to burn against Mew's skin. The larger demon man tossed his head back and howled in pain. Star grimaced.

"If you so much as _look_ at her the wrong way," Tom hissed, "you'll be dead before you hit the floor."

"Okay, okay! Just let me go, please!" Mew cried.

Tom released him and backed away. He gathered the book in his arms and pulled Star out of the tavern. As they left, Star watched Mew claw at the collar of his shirt desperately. She saw only a hint of searing red burns shimmering against his skin in the shape of Tom's knuckles. Her heart skipped a beat and a shudder ran down her spine.

When they were outside, she smacked his chest. "What was that?!"

"He deserved it," Tom snapped.

"He didn't deserve _that_."

"He touched you, Star."

"I can take care of myself!"

The teens glowered at each other. Their voices echoed throughout the silent village. Star narrowed her eyes. Tom clenched his jaw.

"This is exactly why I broke up with you," she stated, softer.

"Really? You're bringing this up now?" He rolled his eyes. "I was _protecting_ you."

"You can protect me without nearly killing somebody!" She paused, rubbed her temples, took a deep breath. "Look, I know your dad is known for his anger, but that doesn't mean you have to be, too."

Shaking her head in disbelief, she pulled her scissors from her pocket and began to create a portal. As Tom worked on calming himself down and Star opened the gateway back to Earth, a soft murmur swept across the village. It was hardly noticeable at first, but eventually grew louder and closer. Star and Tom turned, trying to find the source of the noise.

It was the sound of confused questions, gracious reunions, fearful worries. It was children laughing and feet pounding against the ground and doors squeaking open as people stepped outside.

It was the village coming back to life.

Star closed the portal and dropped to her knees as a group of children ran toward her. She returned their tight hugs and laughed with them as though she'd known them for years. Village elders watched the exchange wearily, most wondering who the girl was.

"Oh, Prince Thomas!" somebody gasped. Then, Tom was drawn into the spotlight. He swallowed hard, taking in the relief and shock of the civilians. As Star occupied the children, the adults made their way to Tom.

"What happened?" one asked.

"What are you doing here?" another shouted from the back.

"I feel like I've slept for years!"

"Who's that girl?"

"Is that Princess Star Butterfly?"

"Something must be really wrong for them to be here."

They all looked at him expectantly. "Uh…" Tom chewed on his lip. "Mewni is under attack."

Oh, big mistake. Those single four words sent the demons into a panic, faces paling three shades lighter and eyes widening with horror. Cue the frantic, fearful questions. Cue the bombarding persistence for answers. Cue the panic.

"SHUT UP!" Tom bellowed, his eyes glowing with anger. The group of demons cowered away, shuffling away from the young prince in fear. Star looked up from a little girl trying to braid her hair. The village fell silent once more.

Tom pulled at the collar of his shirt anxiously. "Ah, um, sorry," he apologized quickly. "I just, um, I just needed you all to calm down." Gods, he was bad at this. "Look, uh, yes, Mewni's under attack, but it's being handled. The kings and queens across our dimension have it under control."

"We're going to stop him," Tom swore, "I promise." He looked across the crowd of people and met Star's eyes. She shot him a smile. He returned it.

•••••

"Ugh, where is Marco?" Star groaned, pacing throughout the living room. Pony Head, Tom, and Janna sat on the couch, watching a rerun of some cartoon. Pony Head and Tom were very intrigued by it.

"You think he still wants to help after the fight you guys had?" Pony Head asked.

"You guys are fighting _again_?" Janna sighed.

Star frowned. "Of course he still wants to help. He… Why wouldn't he?" Even if they were mad at each other, he was always there for her. Though, a voice in the back of her mind reminded her that things had changed.

The front door opened then and the couple strolled inside. Star felt her chest loosen with relief, but she fought to hide her emotions. "Finally!" she exclaimed. "Marco, I've been texting you for the past hour!"

Marco turned to her, face just as blank as hers. "I'm helping, Star. Not for you, but for my friends on Mewni. Okay?"

Star blinked. "Okay," she said. The word sounded foreign in her ears because she was too focused on the cold tone he spoke to her with. He'd never spoken to her like that, not even when they were mad at each other.

"And I want to help, too," Jackie said, stepping up beside Marco. "I know I have no business being here, but if Marco's helping, then I am, too."

"It's gonna be dangerous," Star argued.

"If Janna can do it, why can't I?"

The blonde dragged a hand down her face. She turned and walked toward the wall, pulling at her hair with annoyance. At that moment, she wished she had longer hair to yank at.

"Fine! Fine, whatever. Help at your own risk," Star sighed, spinning around to face them.

Jackie smiled. "Great! So, what's next?"

"Next is our coronations," Tom answered, turning the TV off. "The spell's wearing off across Mewni, so we need to act fast."

"Right," Star agreed. "I was thinking we split up."

"What?" the group asked. Star wanted to laugh at the unison but didn't have it in her.

"We can't afford leaving our homes defenseless. If we split up, we can claim our kingdoms at the same time and give Alec less of an opportunity."

"And how do _we_ fit in here?" Marco asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, I figure Janna will go with Tom, Jackie with Pony Head, and you… With me." Star met Jackie's surprised gaze for a brief moment before turning away.

"Why do I have to go with you?" Marco asked.

Star huffed. "Because you already know my kingdom, so it just makes it easier." She glared and he returned it. The rest of the teens watched carefully, eyes wide as they waited for the next move.

"It's our best bet," Star reasoned.

"I'm down," Pony Head said.

"Me too," Tom agreed. "We need to leave now though if we're gonna beat Alec."

Marco frowned. "I don't know about this…"

"Relax babe, everything'll be fine," Jackie reassured, pecking his cheek. Marco's cheeks flushed and he smiled like a fool. Star scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, okay… But how will we contact each other?"

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Dude, cell phones?" He waved his phone through the air.

"Sweet," Jackie said.

"So, are we ready?" Star asked. She held Marco's scissors out to him. He blinked in surprise. Sheepishly, she said, "They're yours, aren't they?"

Wordlessly, Marco took them from her hands. He had to turn his head before she could see the corners of his lips twitch into a smile.

"I'm so pumped to see the Underworld," Janna said, grinning madly. "The annoying Supernatural fangirls are going to be so jealous."

Tom blinked. "Supernatural?"

She pat his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll fill you in. Let's go!"

Pony Head hovered to the TV and nudged Star's arm with her snout.

"See you in a few days, B-Fly! Make sure to kick that jerk's boot-ay if you see him first, yeah?"

Star smiled. "You know it, girl." Tom opened a bright portal beside the couch.

"One way ticket to the Cloud Kingdom," he announced, gesturing toward the swirling vortex.

"How're we getting back?" Jackie asked.

"I'll just borrow a pair of scissors from somebody in my kingdom," Pony Head explained with a shrug. Jackie shrugged.

"Works for me!"

Marco and Tom opened their own portals and the group turned to each other. "Keep in touch," Star said lightly, offering a smile to her friends.

"It'll be like we never left," Janna reassured, smirking. Marco groaned, dreading the moment when she begins to blow up their phones.

"Good luck everybody," Tom said.

"Bye," Jackie waved. Marco shot her a smile.

Despite what they were about to walk into, they had high hopes that they'd see each other again in a few days time. With one final glance across the group, the pairs stepped through their portals, leaving the Diaz living room in silence.


	10. The Cloud Kingdom

Okay, so a few things before we get started here. 1) I apologize if these ladies are OOC, I'm not the best at writing them. 2) So this and the next five chapters are going to occur roughly around the same time. I'm trying something new here, so I'm sorry if it's confusing. The text messages are what's going to link the chapters together and show what's happening in other parts of the dimension. Hopefully it'll make sense when you read!

Enjoy & don't forget to leave me a sweet review! :D

* * *

Jackie's feet sank in the clouds when they stepped through the portal. It felt as though she were walking on dozens of pillows. She could feel her skin starting to burn under the sun's strong rays and she groaned at the idea of waking up to sunburns.

"Welcome to the Cloud Kingdom or whatever," Pony Head said, heading toward the city. Jackie held her arms out as she wobbled over the clouds. Pony Head shot her a weird look, much like the other residents of the kingdom.

"Girl, how hard is it to walk on a cloud? You're making a scene."

"It's _very_ hard, actually. S'like I'm walking on a fluffy trampoline," Jackie defended.

"Well, you need to step up your game 'cause I'm already drawing enough attention." She was right. Every floating pony head they passed either made a face or turned and whispered to their friends. Jackie felt uncomfortable under the harsh glares.

"Why're they looking at us like that?" Jackie asked.

"Probably 'cause they don't like me."

"I thought it was, like, against the law or something to dislike royalty."

Pony Head snickered. "Maybe they can't do it publicly, but nothing's stopping them from hating in the streets."

"Why don't they like you?"

"Well," the princess sighed, "maybe 'cause I haven't taken anything seriously since I was ten."

Jackie grinned, "Relatable."

"Or it's the fact that a queen has never ruled."

The human started, eyes wide. " _Ever_?"

"Ever. The throne's supposed to go to the first born boy, but my dad was stuck with thirteen girls."

"You- Hold on." Jackie stopped on a street corner. Pony Head rolled her eyes and turned to the Earth girl. Jackie waved her hands, trying to make sense of things. "You have _twelve_ sisters?"

"Yes and they're all obnoxious and rude and if you insult any of them I'll break your face, m'kay?"

Jackie opened and closed her mouth, still trying to process. "Okay…"

"Great! Then let's go. We have to find my dad's royal advisor." Pony Head continued down the street. Jackie followed close behind, sending a quick text to the group chat.

 **Jackie:** _Pony Head has twelve sisters :O_

A minute later, she got a response.

 **Star:** _Oh yeah they're...interesting_

"So, royal advisor," Jackie said, refocusing. "Where do we find him?"

"His room is two doors down from my dad's, I think. We can start there."

"Okay… And then you become queen. Girl power, am I right?" Jackie grinned.

Pony Head rolled her eyes. "It's not that easy. Girls aren't supposed to rule here and everybody agrees. That's how it's been for years."

"Well, screw them. It's time for a change."

"Easy for you to say. These guys are _stuck up_ and _rude_ ," Pony Head growled, glaring at a couple watching the girls with distain.

"You're in luck then because I come from a place that's used to fighting for equality."

"This isn't Earth," Pony Head reminded dryly.

The human smirked. "That's what _you_ think."

•••••

"You're insane."

Pony Head scowled and Jackie rolled her eyes. The royal advisor, a green pony head by the name of Gabriel, shook his head firmly.

"We can't plan a coronation in a day. Plus, as long as the king is still alive, you won't be queen anyways."

"That's the thing, right? Her dad isn't around to rule right now," Jackie pointed out.

Pony Head nodded. "Mmhm, my dad's still in that eternal sleep or whatever. We need to do the coronation _now_."

"Give me one good reason."

"Dude, Mewni's under attack!" Jackie cried.

"Yeah!"

Gabriel sighed and his eyes rolled. "We don't get ourselves involved in another kingdom's drama. If Toffee is attacking the Butterflys again, that's their problem."

Pony head shook her head. "That's not-"

"What do you mean, 'that's their problem?'" Jackie demanded. "If they're in trouble, shouldn't you help? Don't you guys have some kind of an alliance?"

"Toffee and Moon Butterfly have had bad history for _years_. That didn't concern us, so why should we risk _our_ citizens for _their_ battle?"

Jackie didn't know how to respond, but she still knew that that wasn't right. With a grumble, she turned and texted the group message.

 **Jackie:** _The royal advisor is a royal douche_

 **Star:** _They usually are :P_

 **Janna:** _How are things topside?_

"This guy wants to control all of Mewni," Pony Head stressed, rolling her eyes as the older pony turned his head. "Star thinks it'd be a good idea if we-"

"Star Butterfly, Rebel Princess? Why should I care what she thinks?" Gabriel exclaimed. "She's just as reckless as you!"

"Look, I haven't met the guy, but I know he's bad," Jackie tried. "My boyfriend Marco-"

Gabriel frowned. "Marco Diaz? Red hoodie? Kind of adorable?"

Jackie frowned. "Um… Yeah. How-"

"I thought he was _dating_ Princess Star."

Pony Head shook her head frantically, "Huh-uh, no, we shouldn't go down this road."

"No, wait," Jackie argued. She met Gabriel's eyes and demanded, "Why would you think that?"

"Because of Song Day, of course. Oh, that tune was so catchy." He cleared his throat and sang in a poor tune, " _Star Butterfly is in love wi-ith her best friend… And his name is Marco Diaz!_ "

Pony Head froze. Jackie's mouth fell open and her heart dropped to her stomach. The human looked at her phone as it vibrated with a new message.

 **Marco:** _Why are people so suspicious of teenagers? o.O_

"Um… Listen, Star's over Marco," Pony Head reassured.

Jackie stared at her phone. "I… Don't think so."

Pony Head glared at Gabriel. "We're not done talking-"

"Yes princess, we are. With your father unable to take the throne at the time, it's my job to take over and make decisions and I've decided that you are _not_ ready to rule."

"Is it 'cause I'm a girl?"

Gabriel hesitated. "No."

Pony Head chewed on her lip. She narrowed her eyes and spun around with a huff. "C'mon, Jackie," she muttered. Jackie followed the pony back into the hall. When the door shut, Pony Head angrily jabbed her horn at the wall.

"Ugh, sexist jerk!" she yelled. "Jackie, I changed my mind. We need to fight for some equality."

Jackie sighed. "Okay."

Pony Head looked at her. "Umm… What's wrong, girl?"

"Star's in love with Marco," she said quietly, "and I think Marco's in love with her, too."

"Girl, no way. You and that Earth turd have been dating for months."

"If he didn't have feelings for her, he wouldn't be helping her. She kicked him out of Mewni and he still can't walk away."

Jackie leaned against the wall and hugged herself. "I guess I should've seen it coming, though. They've been best friends for a while, they lived together, they never left each other's sides… Gosh, I'm so _stupid_." She felt tears well in her eyes. She slid down the wall, hair falling in her face as a single droplet slid down her cheek.

Pony Head hovered in front of the girl, unsure of what to do. On one hand, she liked the Earth turd and Jackie together because that meant he was gone from Mewni and her best friend. On the other hand though, Star _really_ liked Marco, and Pony Head wanted her best friend to be happy.

"She sent him away because of you," the princess finally said, lowering to eye level with Jackie.

The human sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "What?" Pony Head nodded slowly.

"I was there before it happened. Star was a mess; everything with Toffee had just happened the day before. She said she needed to focus on her family and fixing the kingdom."

"She couldn't have done that with Marco around?" Jackie asked, frowning.

"I mean, yeah. I hate to say it, but she probably would've been better off with him around. Just so she wasn't alone y'know? She went through kinda a lot. But… The only thing Star could focus on at the moment was Marco leaving. I don't think she did it to be mean. This isn't Earth, though. I think she was protecting him."

"But what did I do?"

Pony Head squinted. "Star said that Marco deserved to be happy, and I guess him being happy meant that he had to be with you. She said that it was better for everyone if he left, I don't know. She was hysterical that day."

Jackie chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye. Pony Head continued, "Look, I ship you and Marco. I hope y'all stay together. Star may still have a crush on him, I don't know, but she's been trying so hard to get over him. She might be crazy, but she just wants that Earth turd to be happy."

"I guess I can't blame her for her feelings." Jackie smiled sadly. "It's hard to not like Marco."

Pony Head made a face. "Guess I'm the exception. C'mon, let's forget about boys for a while. It's girl time, remember? We have a fight to win."

Jackie smiled. She pushed herself to her feet and said, "Thanks, Pony Head."

"Yeah, yeah. I guess not all humans are lame."

Before following Pony Head down the hall, Jackie sent a quick text to the group.

 **Jackie:** _Things are… Getting better over here._


	11. The Underworld

I actually researched the Church of Satan because I didn't know what to do for the one who leads the coronation? Every coronation ever has been performed by a priest, but I thought it'd be different 'cause, ya know, demons, but the leader of the Church of Satan was a High Priest. That was my random new fact of the day, I guess.

This was also kind of rushed, sorry :( The second parts to these chapters will be much better, I promise. Remember to tell me what you thought! Feedback is greatly appreciated :)

* * *

Janna gazed around the castle eagerly. Everything was either dark and dreary or on fire. It reminded her of her favorite TV show.

"This place is wicked," she said.

Tom smirked. "Yeah, thanks. You're the first human who's been impressed. I mean, the only other human who's been here was Marco, but still."

"Prince Thomas!" somebody called. The teens spun around as a woman rushed toward them. She was tall and muscular with dark yellow eyes and blood red skin. Two short horns stuck out of her temples and her teeth were bright and pretty, almost human like.

"Abaddon, hi," Tom greeted.

"Abaddon?" Janna gasped.

"Angel of Death," Abaddon explained, eyeing the girl. "Why have you brought a _human_?"

Tom sighed. "It's a long story. Listen, I need to have my coronation as soon as possible."

As they talked, Janna pulled out her phone. She had felt it vibrate a few times and peeked at the conversation between her friends.

 **Jackie** : _Pony Head has twelve sisters :O_

 **Star** : _Oh yeah they're...interesting_

Janna snickered, making a mental note to question the girls about the rest of the Pony Head family.

"Your coronation?" Abaddon repeated. "Now? You're only sixteen, Thomas. You cannot be king until you're eighteen."

"I know, but we don't have a choice. The same guy who put the entire kingdom to sleep is now planning on taking over Mewni. Without my parents in power, there's nothing stopping him from taking the throne."

Abaddon sighed. "Do you know how hard it's going to be to gather the council on such short notice?"

"Just say we're holding a feast to celebrate everyone waking up," Janna suggested. Abaddon narrowed her eyes—why is it talking? Tom glanced back as Janna stepped between the demons with a smirk. "Everybody loves free food."

"She's got a point," Tom agreed.

Abaddon rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I guess. Okay, tell me the long story as we head to find the High Priest."

Tom nodded. "Got it."

The two began to walk down the hall. Janna trailed behind when Abaddon spun around, waving her hand at the girl. Tom jumped between them, catching the demon's wrist before her fingers could touch Janna.

" _Human_ ," Tom reminded sternly.

Abaddon jerked her hand away. "Whatever. You, girl, will stay here until we return."

"Are you crazy? No, Janna, you're coming with us."  
Abaddon pursed her lips. "Prince Thomas…"

"She's coming with us," Tom growled, daring the woman to argue. Abaddon bit her tongue, swallowing back her words. "And don't touch her," he added, "I don't want to have to explain how she died to our friends."

Janna blinked. "Um, _died_?" She looked at Tom, eyes wide. "Why would I die?"

Tom gently grabbed her elbow, dragging her away. "Abaddon can kill you with one touch, hence the name 'Angel of Death.'"

Janna's jaw dropped. For a second, she was stunned into silence. Then, she grinned. " _Sweet_."

Tom looked at her and snickered.

•••••

 **Jackie** : _The royal advisor is a royal douche_

The High Priest was a tall, lanky man with ash gray skin and blood red eyes. When he spoke, two sets of razor sharp teeth peeked over his dark gray lips.

Janna was both frightened and amazed.

 **Star** : _They usually are :P_

"Alec Butterfly?" the High Priest repeated. "I knew his father."

"You did?" Tom asked.

The High Priest nodded. "Yes. He was a good monster, cared for his people and his wife just the same."

"What about his son?" Janna questioned.

"He and his son shared a mutual hatred for the Butterfly family. Understandable, of course, seeing as they banished their queen for loving a monster."

"Do you have any ideas on how to stop him?"

"His mother may stand a chance."

Janna leaned against a bookshelf, uninterested. She typed a message to the group chat, hoping one of her friends were as bored as she was.

 **Janna** : _How're things topside?_

"Eclipsa's dead, though," Tom argued.

"No, she's _frozen_."

" _What_?"

"Rhombulus froze her shortly after Alec's birth, I believe."

Tom frowned. Did Star know about this? He hoped not, 'cause that would mean she's keeping more secrets. Then again, what kinda kingdom doesn't have secrets?

"First thing's first, we need to plan the coronation. The sooner we can secure the throne, the safer we'll all be."

"Yes," the High Priest agreed, "I will start preparations immediately."

"Perfect. Oh! I want Helen and Devilla there as well."

The older demon nodded with a smirk. "Of course, they'll be happy to get some fresh air."

Janna asked, "Who's Helen and Devilla?"

"My hounds," Tom explained, smirking at her.

The girl's eyes lit up. " _Hellhounds_?!"

"Maybe."

" _Sweet_."

"I will arrange for a coronation as early as tomorrow afternoon. In twenty-four hours, the Underworld will have a new king.

Tom forced a smile, shoving down the nerves that were beginning to eat away at him.

•••••

 **Marco** : _Why are people so suspicious of teenagers? o.O_

"I know you're probably freaking about being king and everything," Janna said, sitting on the bed in her guest room, but I think this is pretty awesome." Her king sized bed was a lot comfier than she had been expecting and was dressed with a dark red and black comforter. The walls were red with black trim and the floor was a shiny gray marble. A large window took up most of the back wall, overlooking the volcanic rivers and fiery streets of brimstone.

"Really?" Tom asked. "I didn't peg you for a royalty type."

"Not so much Star and Pony Head's lives, but I could totally get used to a place like this."

Tom hummed. "You're not who I was expecting. After Marco, I thought humans were just uptight and lame."

"Nah, I'm totally cooler than Marco. Have been since kindergarten, actually." The demon found himself smiling, amused at the young girl. She reminded him a bit like Star, curious and amazed by the Underworld. It was cute.

"I don't know if I'm more exited to see a demon coronation or meet Helen and Devilla," Janna admitted.

"They're dolls," Tom said. "You'll love them."  
She grinned at him and he smiled back. "Well, I should probably get going. Big day tomorrow, you know."

"Right, yeah, can't wait," she beamed.

"Sweet dreams, Janna."

"Goodnight…"

When the door shut behind him, Janna turned on her phone with a frown. She felt confused. Her cheeks were burning and her heart was racing. This was so unlike her. Janna was never the type of girl to freak out over a boy.

 **Janna** : _Guys I'm meeting actual hellhounds 2morrow :D_

 **Janna** : _Also g'luck to all the royal heirs being crowned 2morrow... I'm rooting for ya_

She turned her phone on silent and laid it next to her pillow. When she closed her eyes that night, she found herself dreaming of what the next day would bring.

Nothing could've prepared her for what would actually happen, though.


	12. The Butterfly Kingdom

Marco opened the portal inside one of the Butterfly castle's many hallways. Star rushed to a window, leaning over the edge and peering out at the city below. It was livelier than she left it only a week earlier. Star took a deep breath; she could smell a fresh batch of sweet somethings from the kitchen below. Birds were chirping again. The sun was shining brighter than ever, it seemed.

Marco squeezed into the space between Star and the edge of the window. He leaned against the side, eyes sweeping across the landscape.

"Looks as gorgeous as I remember," Marco said, resting his chin on his hand. He glanced at her, intending to look away after a moment. Her eyes, though. Her eyes had him mesmerized. They shone with pride and a sort of glee that he hadn't seen in a while. She spread her lips and beamed at the world, and Marco knew the old Star was breaking through.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I've missed it." His stare was hot against her cheek. She suddenly forgot all about what they were there for. For a moment, she was six months in the past, overlooking the kingdom with Marco by her side the day after the battle. Her chest was light and she could breathe again. They weren't discussing what _could've_ happened, they were only content with the relief that they were _alive_ and _safe_ and nothing else mattered.

They felt their phones vibrate in their pockets. Star fished hers out, glimpsing at the message for a moment.

 **Jackie** : _Pony Head has twelve sisters :O_

Then, Star was yanked back to reality. Marco was in love with someone, a different blonde girl with pretty green eyes instead of blue and a cute colored streak that Star has secretly always liked. Not her, not Star.

Without even paying attention to what she was typing, Star sent a reply and shoved her phone back in her pocket.

 **Star** : _Oh yeah they're…interesting_

She looked at Marco then, brightness dimming. "After the battle, it took a while for everything to go back to normal. Everybody seemed to have lost somebody that day. Fixing the kingdom was a lot harder than I ever imagined."

The Old Star wasn't strong enough to break the barrier it seemed, for the New Star was back in action. She blinked and the sparkle was gone and her smile had been replaced by a firm line.

"That's why I can't let Alec win," she said, voice growing cold. She pushed away from the window and began down the hall. "C'mon! We have to find Manfred."

•••••

 **Jackie** : _The royal advisor is a royal douche_

Star rolled her eyes. Why isn't Jackie focusing on the mission?

 **Star** : _They usually are :P_

"Found him!" Marco called, a few steps ahead.

Manfred frowned as voices neared him. He sat in the center of the ballroom, legs crossed and champagne glass in his hand. The dark red liquid reflected a conflicted face. With a sigh, Manfred tipped his chin back and downed the rest of his drink.

"Manfred," Star breathed. The red haired man spun around to face her.

"Princess Star!" he cried. "What're you doing here? You're supposed to be at the safe house."

Marco lingered behind Star, eyeing the man skeptically. Manfred was weird already, but sitting alone on the floor is a little much. Manfred returned the suspicious glare and Marco looked away quickly.

"Long story. Listen," Star said, storming toward him, "I need to find the priest so I can be crowned queen. … Preferably tomorrow."

Manfred raised his eyebrows. "Why the urgency?" He climbed to his feet. "The kingdom is just getting back to normal. Now's the time to celebrate."

Star shook her head. "I wish, but we don't have time for that. Manfred, we're still under attack."

Manfred glanced around as though they were being watched. "What do you mean?"

 **Janna** : _How're things topside?_

Marco stepped forward. "That sleep you all just woke up from? The guy who did it is coming for Star's crown now."

"And the rest of Mewni," Star added softly. She felt terrible, disrupting his peace and victory drink with more depressing news. The way he looked at her with disbelief made her heart sink. The last thing she wanted was to drag more people into the mess. However, Manfred knew all the ins and the outs of the castle. He remembered every face he passed and the name that went with it. "I need your help, Manfred." If Star was to become queen in twenty-four hours, Manfred was her only hope.

The ginger sighed. He glanced around the room again, squinting at the rafter specifically. He glanced back at her and without so much as a blink, he was bowing to the princess.

"I'm at your service, Your Majesty."

•••••

Star looked over the messages as she and Marco walked down the hall.

 **Jackie** : _Things are… Getting better._

 _What was that supposed to mean?_

 **Marco** : _Why're people so suspicious of teenagers? o.O_

Star shot him a weird look. Marco noticed her gaze and asked, "What?"

She answered, "Your text in the group chat."

"Oh, that. Yeah, I'm pretty sure Manfred was giving me the stink eye or something."

The blonde smiled halfheartedly. "He was acting a little strange, wasn't he? I mean, more than usual."

"Yeah," Marco agreed. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You don't think… I mean, could it be possible that he's betrayed the kingdom, too?"

"Whaaaaaat?" Star said, tone heightening as she dragged out the world. "No way. Manfred may be a weirdo, but he's a loyal weirdo. He used to gossip with me about noblemen who visited or other workers in the castle."

"I didn't know you guys were so close."

Star shrugged. "When you grow up in a castle, you're limited to the number of friends you have. Most of the workers hated my crazy antics, but I've never heard him complain. Not to me, anyways." She giggled.

Marco smiled. He forgot why he was ever mad at her. Well, not really. Their last argument was still very evident in his mind. However, he pushed all of that aside for a moment. Star was opening up to him again, this time without any begging or fighting. He missed hearing her stories of life in Mewni.

They stopped at a door at the end of the hall. "This'll be yours for the night," she said, unlocking the door and pushing it open. It was cozy with a bed against the wall, a desk, a furry gray rug, and a large window overlooking the countryside.

"Where's your room?" he asked, turning to her. His cheeks flushed and he quickly added, "Just in case something happens, y'know."

Star smiled and nodded. "I'm right next door. I guess I'll see you in the morning, yeah?"

Marco nodded. "Yeah, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

•••••

On the other side of Mewni, high up in the clouds, Alec stood in the window sill of a bedroom. The moon gazed at the man, as though trying to get him caught. Alec silently stepped into the room and tiptoed across the floor.

"Hello, King Pony Head," he whispered. He hovered over the still unicorn head, lips spreading into a mischievous grin. "I'm Alec, but you probably won't remember that."

His red eyes pierced through the dark. "Your daughter and her friends think they've outsmarted me, splitting up to claim their kingdoms like that. Adorable, aren't they? Young and hopelessly naive but adorable." Alec held his hand over the king, readying his spell. "Well, I think it's time we teach them a lesson or two."

He whispered a forgotten language and power coursed through him. His fingertips began to glow a dark red to match his eyes as he progressed through the spell. A soft wind blew through the room, brushing through the curtains and whipping Alec's hair.

When he was finished, he raced across the floor and leapt back onto the window sill. He stared out at the night sky and the rolling clouds.

"You think you can beat me? Ha," Alec sneered. "You kids are in for a real treat tomorrow."

The sorcerer stepped off the window sill and vanished into the night.


	13. First Queen

Warning: A few minor swears on Pony Head's part. You can't really blame her though :P

* * *

"Here's the plan."

Pony Head floated beside a whiteboard covered in scribbles of an elaborate looking scheme. She pointed her horn at a poorly drawn unicorn with an angry face.

"First: We lock Gabriel in a closet. He can't stop the coronation if he's trapped."

Jackie hummed thoughtfully.

Pony Head continued, "Then, we find the priest."

"What if he doesn't agree?"

"Already thought of that." Pony Head ducked her head and slapped her horn against a drawing in the corner. It appeared to be a unicorn strapped to a table with six mean looking unicorns surrounding him.

"We can't torture the guy!"

"What?" Pony Head glanced at the drawing. "That's not… No girl, I was just planning to, like, tickle him to death."

"…That's still a form of torture."

Pony Head huffed, glaring at the girl. Jackie suggested, "Why don't we just have a secret coronation?"

"That's what I'm trying-"

"Without the torture. Is there somebody else who can perform the ceremony?"

Pony Head whipped her hair to the side as she tried to think.

While Jackie waited, she glanced out the window behind her. It overlooked the front gates and main street of town. There was a crowd migrating to the castle gates. Small orange and red flickers amongst the cluster startled Jackie.

"I guess we could fake it and just grab a random servant," the princess shrugged.

"Uh—Pony Head?" Jackie jumped to her feet. "I think there's an angry mob outside."

"What?" Pony Head asked, scrunching her snout in confusion. She hovered past Jackie and stuck her head out the window.

 _"_ _We don't want a teen, we don't want a queen!"_

 _"_ _Not my ruler!"_

 _"_ _Where's the king?!"_

Jackie's jaw dropped. "How'd they figure out our plan?"

Pony Head scowled. "Some pony snitched in the castle."

Furious, the princess stormed for the door. Jackie followed close behind.

The hallway was hectic when the girls stepped outside. Guards rushed back and forth, exchanging frantic orders as they passed. Servants lingered on the walls, taking in the chaos.

"Snitches get stitches you peasants, and when I found out who-"

Pony Head choked on her words. The servants were crying. The guards were distraught, faces pale as they raced from one end to another. The girls stood still, shocked.

And when Pony Head opened her mouth, it all stopped. The servants gasped. The guards came to a halt in their tracks and nearly toppled over each other. A stiff silence fell over and everyone stared at the princess.

"I know I'm beautiful and all, but stop staring," she ordered, flipping her hair to the side for effect.

Jackie didn't like the way they watched Pony Head. She didn't like the silence. She didn't like anything about the scene.

Gabriel emerged from a clutter of servants. He wore a deep frown and tightly knit eyebrows.

Pony Head's heart dropped just a little bit.

"What?" she demanded forcibly.

"Princess," Gabriel began, voice low and soft, "I'm afraid it's your father."

•••••

"Jackie?"

The blonde sighed. "Hey Marco, how're things going?"

"Uh, fine. Star's making arrangements for her coronation." Jackie ignored that little pang of sadness in her heart when she remembered he was staying with Star. "Is everything okay?"

"I don't know!" Jackie admitted. She squeezed the phone and peeked through the crack between the king's bedroom doors. Pony Head and Gabriel had been inside for five minutes already.

"What do you mean? Are you okay?"

"Something happened to Pony Head's dad and there's an angry mob outside. Everything's crazy. Don't tell Star."

"This seems like the very thing I should tell Star."

"No! I'm sure Pony Head will fill them in later. I shouldn't even be telling you this because it's Pony Head's business, but I'm freaking out!"

"Okay, sweetheart, breathe. Just-"

"Wait, I think they're finished talking. I gotta go. Talk to you later!"

Jackie hung up too quickly to hear his response. The doors swung open as she pocketed her phone and scrambled away from the room. Gabriel didn't even look at her. Nervously, she crept back to the doors.

"Pony-"

The princess suddenly screamed. It was a blood curdling scream that had Jackie falling against the wall, gasping in surprise. Pony Head screamed again, voice falling strained. The shriek was so full of pain and sorrow; Jackie's skin crawled. The third time, her voice gave way completely.

Pony Head crashed to the ground as sobs rattled her body. Hot tears burned her cheeks and snot dribbled from her snout. She gasped, a moment of relief before howling in sorrow.

The sound made Jackie shudder. She peeked inside, frozen. Pony Head lay in a puddle of her own rainbow tears. Jackie inched forward, tapping the door open and whispering, "Pony Head?"

"GO AWAY!" the princess hissed. "Leave me alone!"

Jackie pulled the door shut. For a moment, she just stood there. Pony Head's weeping drifted into the hall. The sound was heartbreaking; it made her own eyes water.

She stepped away, trembling fingers redialing Marco's number. She knew she shouldn't call him, she knew it wasn't her right, but she couldn't just listen to the crying for minutes or hours or however long it would last.

"Hey again, Jackie," Marco laughed.

"Marco," Jackie whispered, slipping away from the room, "I think the king is dead."

•••••

Gabriel retrieved the princess an hour later. He found the human slumped against the wall across from the door, playing on her phone.

"Have you talked to her?" he asked, nodding toward the doors.

Jackie shook her head slowly. "She hasn't given me a chance."

Gabriel took a deep breath.

Pony Head had moved from her place on the floor. She lay on the bed, curled under her father's chin. Faded streaks of rainbow tears had dried against her cheeks. Pony Head tried to think of something else, something to distract from what had happened, but she couldn't stop focusing on the fact that she couldn't hear a heartbeat.

And she would never hear it again.

"Princess?"

"Go away," she ordered, much less venom in her voice. She cracked an eye open and glared at Gabriel.

"Princess, I know…" Gabriel swallowed, a troubled look on his face. "I know this is a very difficult time, but we need to figure out what to do next."

"So _now_ you're ready to take me seriously?"

"I was not willing to make you queen while your father was still in power, no. However, you _are_ the rightful heir. Even I can't fight that."  
Pony Head rolled her eyes.

Gabriel tried again, "Princess, you and your friend say Mewni is under attack. If that's true, we can't be defenseless. We need a ruler."

Pony Head's eyes fell closed. She never wanted to rule. She enjoyed the parties and the connections and the privileges, but she's never taken an interest in ruling. Too many responsibilities, too many rules, too many eyes always watching, waiting for you to mess up. Even so, she was raised to be the Cloud Kingdom's next ruler, and it's difficult to like something that's forced upon you.

Deep down though, she always knew it was unavoidable. The older she got, the more her father pushed the idea. He started cracking down on her, monitoring her whereabouts, sending her away for training. Eventually, she knew, her time would come. She just never dreamed it would be under such circumstances.

Her father was dead, and she was damn near certain who the culprit was.

She may not have known how to rule a kingdom, but she knew how to get revenge.

Pony head opened her eyes. She hovered over her dad, gazing over his motionless figure. Quietly, she pressed a kiss to his forehead, a droplet of tear sliding down her nose and splashing against his skin.

"Okay," she said, turning to Gabriel. There was a colder edge in her tone. "First thing's first, I have my coronation. Then, we deal with the crazy mob outside."

Gabriel bowed. "Right away… Your Majesty." He turned and hurried out of the room.

The door was thrown open, revealing a surprised human girl jumping to her feet. She watched Gabriel race down the hall then switched her attention to the princess still hovering in the room.

Pony Head snarled.

 _I'm gonna make sure that bastard knows he messed with the wrong kingdom._

•••••

The mob outside doubled since Jackie saw it last. The pony heads rattled the gates, demanding explanations. A defensive line of guards had formed along the inner proximity, ready to stop anything that may get through.

Jackie stood on a balcony, back pressed against the wall. She didn't feel like she belonged outside where Pony Head would be, but she didn't like staying inside and having the rest of the ponies stare at her. So, she stayed against the wall and hoped she was out of everyone's way.

Pony Head approached the edge of the balcony. Her father's crown sat at the base of her horn, golden exterior glistening under the sunlight. A violet cape tied around her neck flowed behind her. Apparently, the cape was not an average thing for pony head royals to wear, but it was a requirement for the coronation.

The angry mob silenced when they caught sight of the princess. Jackie held her breath, wondering what would happen next.

"None of you think I'm fit to rule," Pony Head began, glaring down at the haters. "I get that. But, I'm all you have. The king…" She paused and blinked away the tears forming in her eyes. "The king is dead."

Gasps and whispers rippled throughout the mob. Pony Head ordered, "Shut it! Yes, it's sad and scary and all that junk. Trust me, I know how you feel. We were mourn him properly later. Right now, I want you all to know that I _will_ avenge our king. I'm not letting this guy land another strike against our kingdom."

Pony Head looked back at Gabriel. He nodded in approval. The princess, sorry, the _queen_ , headed back inside.

Jackie lingered, peering over the edge at the ponies' reactions. They were quiet, mostly chatting amongst themselves. Jackie squinted.

The angry mob was no longer angry. She wouldn't go as far as to say they were _happy_ , but that wasn't anger on their faces. Panic, maybe. Despair.

They still didn't believe in Pony Head. They didn't believe in a queen.

Jackie huffed. She joined the ponies inside, thoughts consuming her focus. Pony Head's speech may not have been perfect, but it wasn't bad, either. She made a promise to protect her kingdom. Despite whatever Jackie may have thought of the queen before, she knew Pony Head meant her words. She was going to protect her kingdom any way that she could, yet her own subjects didn't have an ounce of faith.

That just _sucked_.

Gabriel took a deep breath. "What now, my queen?"

Pony Head grit her teeth. "Now, we find Alec."


	14. New King

Hi! I'm back! Told you I would be :)

Thanks to the second half of the season, I have to change some things about this plot. I had anticipated something about Eclipsa be released and stopping Alec herself, but I don't want my plot to sound like I'm copying the original. So yeah, I've got some planning to do.

I'll end this on a warning so this A/N won't be too long: This may be one of the darkest thing I've written… Ever. Toward the end of this chapter, things get a little bad and maybe I went too much into detail? Maybe I got carried away with the idea of the Underworld? Just be weary of that toward the end here. It's only a few paragraphs, but still.

Anyways! Hope you enjoy :)

* * *

There was something about crab cakes cooked in the depths of the Underworld that really made Janna's mouth water. It must've been the added spice that would send any normal person running just at the sight. Janna's always had a thing for spicy, though.

She stood at the end of a long table decorated with exotic foods. There was a half empty platter of crab cakes in her hand and bits of crab clinging to the corner of her lip. She and two giards at the door were the only lifeforms in the small room. Janna was sure Abaddon was only keeping her busy so she didn't disturb the fitting or whatever, and Janna totally didn't mind. Free food? In the heart of the Underworld? Janna was in heaven. Or, well, you know.

Still though, she was curious. "Say," she said, turning to the guards, "what's Prince Tom doing?"

"We are not permitted to say," the one of the left answered. They looked exactly the same with pointed chins, ashy skin, and dark red eyes. Janna settled on calling them Lefty and Righty because they were so identical. She had to wonder, was cloning a thing on Mewni?

"Would a few crab cakes change your mind?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow as she waved a cake in front of her face.

At the same time Lefty shook his head and said, "Of course not," Righty grinned and said, "Yes!"

Lefty glared at Righty. Righty defended, "What? I'm hungry!"

"They're so good, too," Janna moaned, shoving the cake in her mouth.

"Humans are gross," Lefty mumbled.

"And demons are jerks," she argued. "Except Righty, though. He's alright."

Righty frowned. "My name is Dean."

Janna's mouth fell open. For a moment, she stared at Demon Dean. Then, she ate another crab cake whole and whispered, " _I love this place_."

•••••

"Owww!" Tom hissed, ducking his head and leaning out of reach. He glared at Abaddon and the hellish thing in her hands.

"It doesn't hurt that bad," Abaddon declared, rolling her eyes.

"It pulled my hair!"

"Oh, man up!"

Tom scowled. He had always hated the Underworld's choice of headwear. The crown was a band of igneous rock charred to the darkest shade by the Underworld's hottest volcano. Two rows of teeth as long as Tom's pinkie layered the rock, the ends filed into daggers. From the sides are large black horns that arch and curve like those of a ram. The whole thing was heavy and dug into his scalp like knives. He'd only worn it a few times and he never enjoyed it.

"It's only for a few minutes," Abaddon reassured. "Just until you walk back down the isle."

Tom grumbled under his breath. He watched Abaddon carry the crown to its pedestal. Meanwhile, the servants were readying his cape.

"So, what's the deal with the human?" Abaddon asked. She turned back to the prince as the cape—a blood red cloak with black jeweled shoulders and a long train—was draped over his shoulder.

"There's no deal," Tom explained. "She's Star's friend. Star suggested we split up and she sent Janna with me."

"Are you other humans on Mewni?"

Tom met her gaze through the mirror. "Yeah," he answered, "Marco's girlfriend is with Pony Head and Marco's with Star."  
"Star's with Marco again?"

"Did you miss the part about Marco's girlfriend?"

"No, but if the rumors are true, those two are quite the pair. Are you worried?"

"I'm not dating Star. I don't even like her anymore."

Abaddon smiled. "One thing you'll have to learn when you're king for real is lying."

Tom rolled his eyes. The door creaked open and one of the guards rushed in. She was troubled and out of breath. Tom frowned, watching the girl and Abaddon exchange words.

"What?" Tom demanded.

Abaddon pinched the bridge of her nose. "King Pony Head is dead."

For a moment, Tom just stared. He didn't know what to say. Tom only saw the king at royal events and parties. He and Pony Head weren't the greatest of friends, so Tom didn't know the family well. Still, he knew he should have felt bad about the king's death. After all, the Cloud Kingdom was an ally to the Underworld, so the kings met and talked a lot. But Tom couldn't find the remorse.

Instead, fear bubbled in his stomach. There was a very good chance that the king was killed by Alec or one of his followers. That only made Tom shudder. He met his gaze in the mirror.

It didn't feel real knowing King Pony Head was dead. That was the father of a friend, a teammate in this plan. And this plan revolved around going after the killer, a dangerous man nobody knew much about. It frightened Tom, though he'd never admit it.

"Tom," Abaddon said, jolting him back to reality. He met her eyes. "I strongly advise against continuing with the ceremony. The one who killed King Pony Head could target you next."

"I need to talk to Star," he decided. He wanted to carry on with the coronation, though. If anyone tried attacking, he'd unleash Helen and Devilla. However, Star's been getting better at plans and royal stuff, and this was _her_ family they were dealing with. Maybe the news would postpone Star's coronation, too.

"Star?" Abaddon repeated. "No, you need to talk to your _council_ , not your _girlfriend_."

"My _girl_ -Er, no, she's not my girlfriend. _Star_ is also being crowned queen today. This is her plan."

"Okay, but this is _your_ kingdom. You need to make decisions for the Underworld, not for this little group of friends you're worried about. Rule number one about being king: Your people come before your friends. And besides, I'm sure the Magical High Commission is guiding her as well."

Tom turned to her and crossed his arms over his chest. "Guiding her or ordering her?"

Abaddon rolled her eyes. "You two are _teenagers_. You're too young to make decisions that could put the whole kingdom in danger!" She looked away. As an afterthought, "You're not even in _power_. When your parents wake up, everything goes back to normal."

Tom grit his teeth. He hated being told what to do. He could tolerate it from his parents, but there was no reason he had to take it from an advisor like Abaddon.

The seamstresses glanced at each other. Sensing something was about to happen, they gingerly peeled the cape off the prince's shoulders. They scrambled away from the two, eyes wide.

"I'm talking to Star," he declared. His eyes began to glow a dark shade and fire fanned over his fingertips. "And like it or not, we _teenagers_ are in control. _I_ am next in line for the throne, _not_ you."

Abaddon grit her teeth. She dug her nails into her palms as she bowed in front of the prince. "Yes, Your Royal Highness."

The seamstresses bowed frantically as the prince exited the room. They glanced at each other and to Abaddon, too nervous to move.

The angel of death waited until the door slammed shut. She glowered at the door, seething in his wake.

•••••

Star heard the news an hour earlier from Pony Head herself. The other princess was a blubbering mess, tears streaming down her face. Star could hardly understand her, but she caught the drift.

"After the coronation, she locked herself in her room," Jackie explained. She and Star were on a split screen on Tom's mirror. Behind Jackie was a green floating pony head, stern and glaring.

"Are you okay?" Marco asked. He shoved himself into the frame, eyes wide with worry. "Is the kingdom okay?"

Star rolled her eyes. She shoved him away so they both fit in the frame.

"Quit shoving!" Star complained.

" _You_ quit shoving!"

"Children, please," Janna teased, rolling her eyes.

Jackie looked away, fingers playing with the seashell around her neck. "There haven't been anymore attacks here. Everybody's kinda just stuck in a trance, probably still in shock."

Tom looked at Star. "That's good, right? Maybe it'll end there. Alec's already made his point, and we can continue with the plan… Right?"

Star's eyes jumped from one face to another. She opened her mouth and closed it again. She looked to Marco for help.

"You almost sound like you _want_ to be king," Marco teased, a desperate attempt to lighten the mood.

Tom scoffed. "No way. I just know my dad will kill me if I let some freak sit on his throne." There may have been a hint of satisfaction at the idea of having so much power, but Tom suppressed the feeling.

"If we continue with the plan, Alec will probably target us next," Star reasoned. "But if we don't, our kingdoms are vulnerable."

"Our kingdoms are vulnerable anyways," Tom argued. "Abaddon thinks we're doomed with teenagers in charge. We may as well make things official."

She met his gaze. "This isn't going how we planned."

"Yeah, but how often does _that_ happen?"

Star smiled and Tom returned it.

Marco scowled. Janna raised an eyebrow. Jackie was nervous.

"We'll carry on with the plan," Star decided. "We may not be the best for the job, but we're the only ones who can protect our kingdoms. Anticipate more attacks."

"Got it," Tom agreed.

"Uh," Jackie said. She chewed on her lip.

Star frowned. "What's up, Jackie?"

"I just need to talk to Marco… In private."

Tom nodded. "Sure, okay. We'll talk later. Be careful, Star!"

"I will," she promised. Tom savored her smile for a moment before ending the call.

Janna sat back on her heels as the mirror fell dark. "So," she grinned, "demon coronation?"

"After I talk to Abaddon and rub it in her face that- I mean, inform her of what's going on."

" _Then_ demon coronation?"

Tom laughed. "Then demon coronation, yeah."

Janna cheered, throwing a fist in the air. "This is gonna be awesome!"

•••••

"Coronas coronabit te rex Thomam Lucitor inferos. Ut ipse regnabit long."

The High Priest lowered the crown onto Tom's head. The teen tilted his chin back in an attempt to both look like the king he was pretending to be and keep the crown from falling. It was a lot heavier than it looked.

After he was crowned, Tom was supposed to walk back down the isle. The royal guests remained standing, most holding their tongues until the king was gone. They were confused and wanted answers. Why the sudden coronation? Why did the kingdom just wake from a deep slumber? What was going on?

Janna was settled by front row between Helen and Devilla. The hounds weren't invisible like she had imagined. Seeing them was both incredible and terrifying. They were like great danes on steroids, tall creatures with muscular legs and hypnotic ruby eyes that watched everything that moved. Around the dogs' necks were red collars that stood out against their black fur. Janna won their trust with a plate of crab cakes. Helen was on Janna's right and really liked to snuggle. Devilla was on Janna's left, fast asleep.

Tom and Janna exchanged smiles as Tom passed. Janna wasn't allowed to follow, so he would find her later.

Shortly after Tom left and the silence dispersed to a quiet chatter, a band of monsters entered the church. Janna wouldn't have noticed if the leader hadn't approached her corner. Helen growled dangerously. The noise drifted throughout the room. Devilla woke from her slumber. A few guests glanced over curiously. Janna looked around, maybe a bit nervous. As of then, everything about the Underworld only fascinated her. However, these guys put her a bit on edge.

"Where's the king?" the demon asked. He was tall and purple skinned with three small horns growing from his forehead and teeth like knives.

"He's n-" Janna stumbled over her words. "He, uh…" In light of everything that had happened already, she couldn't just say Tom wasn't around. What if these guys were up to no good? "He'll be back any minute. Why?"

Instead of answering, the demon smiled. It was crooked and made Janna glad she was sitting between two hellhounds.

"Perfect," he hissed. "We only need a minute."

"Wait, what are you-"

The monster turned to his men. He spoke quietly, waving his hands in different direction. The followers fanned out, disappearing in the crowd and lining the walls.

Janna watched one of the monsters linger outside the crowd. She raised a finger to the neck of one of the guests. Her fingertip glowed a dark purple. When she touched the guest's neck, a web of black burst across the demon's skin like veins.

There was a faint scream. Then, the body dropped to the floor.

Janna jumped to her feet. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the victim. Was this another sleep spell? Was that guy okay? Was he dead? Janna ran a hand through her hair.

The leader threw his head back and cackled. "Take the castle!" he shouted.

All it took were three words for the entire room to fall into chaos.

•••••

"Nice work," Abaddon complimented when Tom exited his room. He had changed into his normal attire, a T shirt and jeans. She glared at the teen after glancing over his outfit.

"Thanks. It wasn't as bad as I imagined." He had neither tripped nor fallen, so that was a win in his book.

Abaddon sighed, "I just hope this plan of yours works."

"It will. I know it will."  
Just then, a muffled scream carried down the hall. Tom and Abaddon stopped, surprised. Another took place of the first. They located the source quickly, the grand doors at the end of the hall.

"You were saying?" Abaddon growled. She and Tom broke into a sprint. As they approached, the screams laced through a series of growls and snarls.

Tom's stomach dropped.

The doors didn't push open like he thought they would. So instead of bursting inside, Tom ran smack into the wood. He groaned, rubbing his nose.

"Why are these doors locked?" he whined.

Abaddon pressed against the wood, checking the top and bottom. "It locks from the inside."

Tom frowned. He was about to question when something came up behind the advisor. "Abaddon!" he cried.

The demon barely glanced over her shoulder. She caught the wrist of a hand trying to stab something into her neck. Abaddon snapped the attacker's wrist backward, ducked under his arm, and kicked in the back of his knee. He cried out in pain and dropped to the floor.

"Who sent you?!" Abaddon shouted.

"Alec!" the guy answered.

Tom knelt in front of the monster. He grabbed the guy's shirt collar and reeled his fist back. "He sent you to the wrong place," Tom growled. "You're _not_ taking my kingdom."

Tom was about to strike when the guy smiled. The teen froze, eyes narrowing.

"He doesn't want your _kingdom_ ," he laughed. "He just wants you out of the way."

•••••

"You really think you can take on two hellhounds?!" Janna shouted. She scrambled behind the safety of the dogs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Where's Tom?" she asked, needing a distraction.

"He's trying to get in touch with Princess Star."

"Why?"

"We think this attack may have been a distraction."

 _The attack_. The room had fallen so silent that Janna had forgotten they'd even been ambushed. That was when she noticed the smell, iron and feces. It was strong enough to burn her nostrils when she inhaled. Janna covered her mouth and nose with her hand and gazed around, taking in the source of the aroma.

Janna had been so distracted by her own battle that she didn't notice the hounds had taken care of everyone else. Bodies littered the floor. Entrails lay scattered in puddles of dark red ooze bubbling from the monsters. Janna couldn't distinguish a noble from an enemy.

Helen, the house who had been cuddling with Janna only half an hour earlier, stood over a mess of shredded limbs. Crimson dripped from her stained fangs. Devilla was in the corner licking blood off her paws.

"I'm gonna puke," Janna announced.

"Wha-" Abaddon began to question. The teen was already hunched over, left arm hooked to the table for support. Her right hugged her stomach as she choked and gagged, emptying the food from breakfast. And the crab cakes, all those crab cakes… :(

Abaddon pursed her lips. She reached forward to comfort the girl and froze, remembering.

"Let's go find the pr-er, king."

She couldn't believe Tom would allow such an outsider into the castle, their lifestyle. This human looked about fifteen years old, much too young to be witnessing such things. Although, Tom was only a year older. He's been exposed to royal matters, but never to this degree.

Abaddon herded the girl into the hall. They didn't talk for most of the way back. The demon watched her, eyes narrowed in the slightest bit of concern. She hated that _she_ was stuck babysitting the children, but she couldn't help worrying about this human. 'Janna' was the quietest she'd been since arriving.

"Are you… All right?" Abaddon asked tentatively.

Janna met the demon's eyes over her shoulder. "Yeah," she answered with a nod. She wiped her eyes. "Yeah, I just have a bad taste in my mouth."

"We can stop by the kitchen if you'd like."

"Okay."

Janna sighed. She flipped open her phone and scrolled through the messages. They were from Tom to the group chat. He was frantic, sending three texts in five seconds.

Janna stopped walking. She frowned, another sickly feeling in her stomach.

"What is it?" Abaddon demanded.

Janna dialed Star's phone and turned to Abaddon. "I think you were right about this being a distraction." She looked at her phone, at the CALL FAILED flashing across the screen. "Because something's wrong at Star's place."


End file.
